By Thomas Corhern, TTU Athletics Media Relations
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – The Tennessee Tech softball team will be back in action this weekend as the Golden Eagles compete in the Gardner-Webb Red and Black Classic, starting on Friday.
Tech (0-4) opens the tournament with a 9 AM contest against Lehigh, then takes on Queens at 11:30 AM on Friday. The Golden Eagles will see Queens again at 9 AM on Saturday before taking on tournament host Gardner-Webb at 2 PM. Tech will close out the event Sunday with a 9 AM game against Lehigh.
All game times are subject to change and weather is permitting. The forecast for Boiling Springs looks good for Friday and Saturday, but a 99-percent chance of rain is predicted for Sunday.
Lehigh went 3-2 at the Felsberg Invitational last weekend in Miami as the Mountain Hawks opened the season with a 9-5 win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and a five-inning 15-6 triumph over Stony Brook. Lehigh dropped two straight with a 4-0 shutout against Louisville and a 6-0 loss to Florida International, before getting back on the winning side with a 5-2 win over Stony Brook.
Megan Lodge had a strong first weekend, batting .800 with three runs scored and a stolen base, while Crysta Duenas had a team-best four RBI, followed by four for Sydney Parlett and Kyra Neiswender. Reliever Maddie Masiko leads the team with a 0.00 ERA in three appearances and 5 1/3 innings worked with a save, while Chloe Hess has the top starter numbers with a 1-0 record, a 1.85 ERA and four strikeouts in 11 1/3 innings.
Queens of Charlotte only got one game in last week at the 1868 Classic at Hampton with a 7-5 loss to Bowling Green. Kami Diaz and Lindsay Henson drove in two runs with Madison Cantoni, Lauren Byrd and Leila Susaia all batting .500 in limited action. Reliever Izzy Lawrence took the loss, allowing four unearned runs, while starter Addison Kluck allowed three runs on four hits.
This is the second straight home weekend for the Runnin' Bulldogs as they went 3-2 in their first home tournament last week. GWU opened the season with a 16-6 loss to Youngstown State, then topped Furman 10-9 and beat the Penguins in a return game 13-12. Tarleton State won 14-3, then GWU finished the event with a 10-2 win over the Paladins.
Reese Collier drove in 10 runs last weekend with a .429 batting average and a home run. Taylor Dreher (.471) had seven RBI and Caitlin Colley (.267) with five. Lauren Spainhower (.500) lead the team with three stolen bases.
In the circle, Kalyn Kyle (3.94 ERA) worked 10 2/3 innings in two appearances with a victory, while Glenna McLamb (5.79 ERA) went 2-0 over 9 2/3 innings with 11 strikeouts.
Tech fell 6-3 and 3-2 to Howard and 6-2 and 11-3 in five innings to Campbell last week in Buies Creek.
Ella Bishop (.300) led the team with three RBI, while Jailynn Paderez led the team in batting with a .400 weekend. Olivia Evans (.333, one RBI) leads the team with three stolen bases. Lainey Fitzgerald had the best weekend of the starters, posting a 4.20 ERA with 11 strikeouts, while Addison Abell has the team's best ERA with a 2.00 in seven frames.
Photo | Thomas Corhern, TTU Athletics Media Relations
