By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The tournament portion of the schedule is out of the way, now it's time for the Tennessee Tech softball team to get down to business as Ohio Valley Conference play opens up this weekend.
For the Golden Eagles, they'll look to work through frustrations from last season's run against the Tigers, including a loss in the OVC tournament.
First pitch is slated for 12 p.m. for Saturday's doubleheader. Sunday's single game also has a noon start time. The games will have a Diabetes Awareness Weekend theme as the team will look to help in efforts to battle the illness and support those affected by it.
All games at Tech Softball Field are open to the public with free admission.
Tennessee State enters the weekend with an 8-6 record and a three-game winning streak after taking four of five games at the Wofford Invitational last weekend with a 6-5 win in extra innings over North Dakota – who the Golden Eagles will face at home Tuesday in a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m. – followed by a 16-2 run-rule loss from the host Terriers.
State then run-ruled Buffalo 10-2, beat Wofford 6-5 in eight innings, then shutout Buffalo 4-0 to close out the tournament.
The Tigers are batting .253 on the season with 59 RBI and six home runs. Onnika Spencer leads the team in average (.390), home runs (five) and RBI (16), while Anayah Baker-Rowell has 14 RBI and Jace Jackson has 11. Spencer and Jackson both have a team-high 12 runs scored.
TSU is 13-for-16 on stolen bases with Mikayla Duke swiping five in six attempts.
In the circle, the Tigers have a cumulative 5.58 earned run average. Reina Castillo has been the workhorse, throwing 57 innings in 11 appearances. She has a 3.56 ERA with a 7-3 record in nine starts with three complete games, walking 18 and striking out 27. Castillo has allowed 34 runs with 29 earned.
Meanwhile, Tech (6-11) is looking to battle back from a tough week at the WKU Hilltopper Spring Fling. On the year, the Golden Eagles are batting .233 with three home runs and 40 RBI. Abby Shoulders leads the team with a .342 batting average, while Sydney Kirby has the team-lead in RBI with seven and Shoulders and Julie Martin each have seven runs scored. Abbee Klinefelter, Makayli Harris and Lainey Fitzgerald have the team's three home runs.
In the circle, the Golden Eagles have a cumulative 3.23 earned run average. Fitzgerald (3-1, 2.62) and Payton Wagner (0-5, 3.77) have seen the most work with nine appearances and over 26 innings of work each, while Emily York (2-4, 3.36) is making a return from injury.
