COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Abby Shoulders led the Tennessee Tech offense with a 2-for-3 performance with an RBI, while Bella Ochoa went 2-for-2 with a run scored, but it was a tough day as Eastern Illinois completed the three-game sweep, topping the Golden Eagles 14-3 in five innings on Saturday.

 

Tech (11-26, 4-11 Ohio Valley Conference) returns to action on Tuesday as it hosts Georgia State at 5 p.m. from Tech Softball Field.

 

Sydney Kirby and Jailyn Paderez each picked up RBIs in the contest for the Golden Eagles' three runs, while Olivia Evans also had a base knock.

 

McKenzie Oslanzi picked up her 10th victory of the season as she went four full innings, yielding just one run on four hits with three strikeouts. Rylie Schipp pitched the fifth, allowing two runs on three hits with a walk.

 

The Panthers scored two runs in the first inning with a double down the left field line then on a steal that turned into a rundown. The play resulted in a pickle that allowed the lead runner to score in the process.

 

In the third inning, EIU scored four more on a single up the middle, a bunt single and two throwing errors. Eastern added five runs in the fourth with a single up the middle, a two-run single, an RBI double and a fielder's choice leading to a dropped ball at the plate on what could have been a force out.

 

The fifth inning saw the Panthers tack on five more on an RBI single, a bases-loaded hit-batter and a bases-loaded walk.

 

Tech scored its first run in the fourth as Paderez drove in Bailee Stack with a single up the middle. The Golden Eagles collected two runs in the bottom of the fifth as Shoulders singled to right to send Ochoa home, but was then thrown out at second on a bang-bang throw after the ball was kicked away. Kirby drove in Evans for the final run with a sacrifice fly to left field.