By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
MARTIN, Tenn. – It was late-inning heroics for the Tennessee Tech softball team as the Golden Eagles completed the sweep over UT Martin with a 2-0 victory in game one, then a 9-4 win in 11 innings in game 2.
Sydney Kirby went 5-for-6 at the plate with three RBI in the night cap, while Jailynn Paderez was 3-for-5. Abby Shoulders and Abbee Klinefelter both drove in two runs in the second game.
In game one, however, there was no scoring until the top of the seventh. The Golden Eagles didn't even get a hit until that frame as Ella Bishop broke up the no-no bid to open the seventh. After an Alina Schlageter single to left moved pinch-runner Julie Martin to second, Olivia Evans broke the scoreless tie with a single, bringing Martin home.
Klinefelter then added the second run with a single to right to send Schlageter home. Evans attempted to score on the play as well, but the 7-2 relay was in time to get her at the plate to end the inning.
UT Martin had a leadoff single for Carly Ward, then Lainey Fitzgerald struck out the next two batters. Morea Hodge singled to right, then Tech was able to retire Carly Ward at third 6-5 on a fielder's choice to secure the win.
Fitzgerald improved to 4-7 on the season with the win, going the distance for the complete-game shutout as she yielded seven hits and struck out five. Payton Harris took the loss, allowing both runs in the final two innings on four hits, walking one and striking out one. Natalie Kreuziger went five innings in the start, walking four and striking out four without allowing a base hit.
In game two, the Golden Eagles struck quickly for four runs as Evans tripled to right to drive in Shoulders, Klinefelter and Kirby both had an RBI double, then Paderez hit an RBI single up the middle.
Tech did not score again until the 11th inning, collecting seven of its 19 hits in what became the final inning of the game. Between the second and 10th innings, the Golden Eagles stranded seven.
In between, UTM scored a run on a fielder's choice in the fifth, then hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game at 4-all.
Shoulders hit a two-run single up the middle to bring Martin and Sofia Carroll in, then Schlageter scored on Klinefelter's grounder to second. Kirby had the last blow of the inning, driving in Shoulders and Evans with a single to right.
Tech's defense allowed one hit after a pop-up and fly out, then the game ended on a unassisted play by Bishop at second.
Payton Wagner went five full innings in the start, allowing three earned runs on five hits with a walk and two strikeouts. Emily York came on in relief and threw the final six frames, allowing one run on six hits while striking out four.
The Golden Eagles (15-26, 7-11 Ohio Valley Conference) return to action at home on Friday as they host Southeast Missouri in a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m. Admission at Tech Softball Field is free.
Photo | Jim Dillon
