By Thomas Corhern, TTU Athletics Media Relations
UPDATE 7:00 AM 2/8/26: With frigid temperatures and in abundance of caution with no room to push back games, today's game against Florida A&M has been canceled. Tech will be back in action on Friday at the Gardner-Webb tournament.
BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Tennessee Tech came close to getting its first win of the season on Saturday, but Howard rallied in the fifth inning to hand the Golden Eagles a 3-2 loss on the second day of the Campbell Stampede.
Tech (0-4) then saw a five-inning defeat when the host Camels topped the Golden Eagles 11-3.
In the day's first game, Tech struck first for two runs in the top of the second as Ella Bishop drove in Ashley Capelouto with a double up the middle, then Sofia Carroll hit a sacrifice fly to left to bring in Skylar Gooden.
Howard chipped away in the third as an error in right allowed Merci Hart to score from second. In the fifth inning, the Bison tied the game on Wisdom Colbert's single to short, driving in Cheyenne Castille, then a missed tag on an 8-1-4 double play allowed Zafriah Doss to score what resulted in the winning run.
Lainey Fitzgerald (0-2) was tagged with the loss despite a solid effort, allowing three runs – two earned – on four hits, walking six and striking out 10. Addison Abell came on in relief, throwing the final frame, walking one and striking out one.
Jailynn Paderez went 2-for-2 in the game, while Bishop had Tech's other hit.
In the second game, Campbell struck for four runs in the first, five runs in the second, one in the third and one in the fourth.
All three of Tech's runs came in the top of the fifth as the Golden Eagles tried to stave off the run-rule. Bishop drove in Alina Schlageter and Skylar Gooden with a single to right center. Skylar Sybesma followed that up with a single to shallow left to drive in Bishop.
Campbell closed the rally off with a double play.
Emily York took the loss, going one inning as she allowed four runs on three hits with two walks and one strikeout. Faith Rush went 1 2/3 innings, allowing six runs – two earned – on four hits, walking three and striking out one. Hannah Lange threw the final inning and a third, allowing one run on three hits and striking out three.
