Fight for first features weekend series between Golden Eagles and OVC rival Redhawks
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech baseball team returns to Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex for an Ohio Valley Conference series against rival Southeast Missouri this weekend, squaring off with the Redhawks in a battle of first-place teams.
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By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech baseball team returns to Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex for an Ohio Valley Conference series against rival Southeast Missouri this weekend, squaring off with the Redhawks in a battle of first-place teams.
The weekend will open Friday evening with a 6:00 p.m. CT tilt while game two of the series is slated for a 2:00 p.m. start Saturday afternoon. Sunday's finale will feature a 1:00 p.m. first pitch. All three contests are scheduled to be streamed live on ESPN+ with Dylan Vazzano on the call. Admission to all Tech home baseball games is free of charge.
It will be Alumni Celebration Weekend at the Quill during the weekend, with all Golden Eagle baseball alumni encouraged to come back to Cookeville and enjoy the series. On Saturday, a tent and refreshments will be set up just inside the entrance of Bush Stadium, starting at 12:00 p.m.
In addition to a celebration of all Tech baseball alumni, the OVC Championship teams of 1949 and 2009 will receive special recognition. The 1949 squad is celebrating the 75th anniversary of their OVC championship run, the first in program history. Celebrating its 15th anniversary is the 2009 OVC Tournament-winning crew.
THE SERIES
Friday's opener represents the 106th match-up since 1949 between the two programs, with the Redhawks owning a 60-45 lead in the series. Southeast Missouri swept the season series last year in Cape Girardeau, Mo., earning wins of 10-1, 5-4, and 8-6.
In 2022, Tech won three of the five tilts against the Redhawks, including two of the three-game series in Cookeville. The rivals squared off again in the OVC Tournament, with the Golden Eagles picking up a thrilling, 11-10 victory to clinch a berth in the semifinals. SEMO went on to eliminate the purple and gold with a 5-2 decision the next day before capturing the tournament crown over Belmont on the final day of action.
LAST TIME OUT
Tech enters the weekend scorching hot, winning six of its last seven and 10 of its previous 12 outings, including a midweek rematch against Middle Tennessee on Wednesday. Boasting a 5-2 victory in Murfreesboro, the Golden Eagles completed the season series sweep of their longtime, in-state foes.
Rookie Mack Whitcomb belted a go-ahead, two-run long ball in the sixth to provide the necessary offense to secure the win. Tech's bullpen racked up seven shutout frames to close the contest.
TEAM NOTES
Known historically under the watch of long-time head coach Matt Bragga as one of the premier, home-run slugging programs in the country year in and year out, this year's Golden Eagles squad sports a slightly different look on offense. The 2024 edition still ranks third in the OVC in long balls, but it's been the patience and speed that has shined during the season.
Heading into the weekend, the Golden Eagles ranked tied for fourth in the nation in triples as a team, boasting 17 so far on the year. Tech also ranked 27th nationally in walks, drawing 207 this year to lead the OVC.
Left fielder Austin Turner paces the group with a whopping 41 in 37 games, tying for fifth nationally. Boasting 114 in his Tech career, he now ranks seventh in program history for walks, boasting two more than current teammate and Golden Eagle catcher Hayden Gilliland. Turner's eight career triples rank eighth in program history.
Turner and shortstop Tanner Shiver are both tied for 14th in the nation with four triples each. Peyton Calitri has been special on the bump, ranking third nationally with a strikeout/walk ratio of 12.20, fanning 61 batters with just five free passes on the year.
Tech head coach Matt Bragga is starting to climb the OVC's all-time coaching wins list, closing in on sixth place. Bragga and TTU Sports Hall of Famer David Mays represent the only pair of coaches from the same school to rank in the league's top eight of OVC wins.
- Gary McClure, Austin Peay (1988-2015) 847
- Johnny Reagan, Murray State (1958-93) 776
- Jim Ward, Eastern Kentucky (1980-01) 628
- Jim Case, Jacksonville State (2004-21) 564
- David Mays, Tennessee Tech (1974-98) 554
- Mark Hogan, Southeast Missouri (1995-12) 526
- Matt Bragga, Tennessee Tech (2004-18, 22-present) 520
- Jim Schmitz, Eastern Illinois (1997-15) 480
- John Stanford, Middle Tennessee (1974-87) 402
- Steve Peterson, Middle Tennessee (1988-00) 401
On Monday, Tech ace Landon Smiddy earned his second OVC Pitcher of the Week honor after tossing the program's first complete-game, nine-inning shutout at Lindenwood last Friday. The senior fanned 10 batters while scattering three hits and five walks.
Smiddy's second weekly honor marked the fourth OVC Pitcher of the Week nod presented to a Golden Eagle hurler this season, with fellow weekend starter Peyton Calitri also taking home two accolades on the year. It represented the first time since 2018 that Tech has captured four Pitcher of the Week awards and ties the program record for a season, matched by the 2010, 2017, and 2018 squads.
THE OPPONENT
Southeast Missouri comes to Cookeville winners of five of its last six affairs, including a midweek match-up at Murray State on Tuesday. The Redhawks topped the former OVC opponent 15-8, dropping an eight-spot in the sixth inning.
Over the weekend, SEMO picked up another OVC series win, excelling in the bread games against Southern Indiana. The Redhawks eked out a 1-0 decision in the opener on Friday before falling in a 12-6 affair on Saturday. They salvaged the series win with a blowout, 12-2 win on Sunday, using four runs in the seventh to walk off the contest behind the league's run-rule policy on travel days.
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Current Weekend Schedule
Friday, Apr. 19 | 6:00 p.m. CT | vs. Southeast Missouri
Saturday, Apr. 20 | 2:00 p.m. CT | vs. Southeast Missouri
Sunday, Apr. 21 | 1:00 p.m. CT | vs. Southeast Missouri
TENNESSEE TECH GOLDEN EAGLES
2024 Record: 23-14
2024 OVC Record: 8-4
Head Coach: Matt Bragga
TTU: 520-467-2 (18th Season)
Career: 571-543-3 (21st Season)
STATS LEADERS
AVG: Hayden Gilliland (.350)
2B: Troy Baunsgard (14)
3B: Tanner Shiver / Austin Turner (4)
HR: 3 players tied (7)
RBI: Hayden Gilliland (40)
R: Austin Turner (42)
BB: Austin Turner (41)
SLG%: Tanner Shiver (.643)
OB%: Nicho Jordan (.477)
SB: Austin Turner (17)
ERA: Peyton Calitri (1.95)*
W: Peyton Calitri (6)
APP: Drew Mattox / Jaxson Pease (13)
IP: Peyton Calitri (60.0)
K: Peyton Calitri (61)
BAA: Peyton Calitri (.218)*
SV: Jack Erdman / Jaxson Pease (3)
* minimum 1.0 innings pitcher per team game played
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI REDHAWKS
2024 Record: 19-18
2024 OVC Record: 8-4
Head Coach: Andy Sawyers
SEMO: 200-188 (8th Season)
Career: 287-215 (10th Season)
STATS LEADERS
AVG: Caleb Corbin (.394)
2B: Ty Stauss (9)
3B: Caleb Corbin (4)
HR: Ben Palmer (11)
RBI: Bryce Cannon / Michael Mugan (32)
R: Michael Mugan (35)
BB: Ben Palmer (25)
SLG%: Caleb Corbin (.712)
OB%: Caleb Corbin (.512)
SB: Josh Cameron / Brooks Kettering (5)
ERA: Sam Heyman (4.10)*
W: Brian Strange (4)
APP: Gavin Johnston / Ethan Osborne (15)
IP: Brian Strange (45.1)
K: Haden Dow (41)
BAA: Haden Dow (.266)*
SV: Collin Wilma (3)
* minimum 1.0 innings pitcher per team game played
Photo by Jim Dillon
