By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech softball team started the conference slate with a split against Tennessee State on Saturday as the Golden Eagles took game two against the Tigers 6-3 after a tough 3-0 defeat in the opener.

Tech (7-12, 1-1 Ohio Valley Conference) concludes the series Sunday at noon. All games at Tech Softball Field are open to the public with free admission.

Emily York picked up the victory in the circle in game two as she went the distance, allowing three runs on 10 hits, walking two and striking out one.

Sydney Kirby picked up a pair of RBI, while Olivia Evans went 3-for-4 at the plate, Skylar Sybesma was 2-for-3 and Abby Shoulders 2-for-4.

Tech plated two runs in the bottom of the first as Shoulders scored on Lainey Fitzgerald's single to center field, then Evans scored on Makayli Harris' single to left. The Golden Eagles extended the lead in the bottom of the third as Julie Martin stole home on a double steal.

State put two on the board in the top of the fourth with a two-run single, but the Golden Eagles got those runs back and more with three in the home half. Evans' double to left brought Sybesma home, then Kirby had a two-run single to right to drive in Shoulders and Evans.

York yielded just one run in the seventh as TSU left the bases loaded with the Tigers scoring on a two-out single. TSU (9-7, 1-1 OVC) left eight runners on in the contest to five for Tech.

That was a continued theme on the day for the Tigers as they also stranded 14 in the first game, including leaving the bases loaded three times.

All three TSU runs scored in the top of the third and were charged to Fitzgerald, who yielded five hits with three walks and a strikeout.

The Golden Eagles were held to three hits in the contest as Shoulders, Sofia Carroll and Brooklyn Stewart picked up base knocks.

Photo | Jim Dillon