Tech Baseball Opens 2026 Home Schedule against Lipscomb on Tuesday
Tennessee Tech baseball returns home after a three-game series at No. 25 Texas A&M for the home opener against Lipscomb at Bush Stadium. The game is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. CT.
Game 1
Game 1
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 14 | 0 |
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0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 1 |
By Jeff Bowe, TTU Athletics Media Relations
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech baseball returns home after a three-game series at No. 25 Texas A&M for the home opener against Lipscomb at Bush Stadium. The game is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. CT.
Tennessee Tech (0-3) returns to Cookeville to face Lipscomb (2-1) on Tuesday at Bush Stadium. The Golden Eagles dropped all three games at No. 25 Texas A&M to begin the season on the road.
GOLDEN BATS
- Eddie Garza hit .455 (5x11) with one double and only one strikeout (.545 SLG / .455 OBP).
- Jorsixt Jimenez launched two home runs at No. 25 Texas A&M, hitting .300 (3x10), 2 HR, 4 RBI.
- Jimenez four RBI led the team in the three-game series.
- Jimenez slugged .900 and reached base at a .333 clip.
- Connor Crowson hit .400 (4x10), 1 R, 1 2B.
- Landon Smelser batted .364 (4x11), 1 R, 4 RBI.
- Owen Lee launched his first home run of the season, a three-run blast in Game 1 at Texas A&M.
EAGLES' WINGS
- Reece McDuffie delivered 2.1 scoreless with two strikeouts in relief during Game 3.
- Garrett Holpuch struck out 5 over 3.1 innings out of the pen.
Dates Game Time(s) Broadcast Info.
Tuesday, Feb. 17 3 p.m. CT None
The Golden Eagles begin a new year with lofty goals after tying for the most wins in the OVC (18) a season ago, finishing with 37 total wins and holding 14 OVC Championships (10 regular-season, 4 tournament titles) in program history. The 18 wins tied for the most in the OVC with SIUE. Tech has been picked to finish fifth by a preseason poll of conference head coaches.
Tech's 37 wins in 2025 marked the most since a 53-win campaign in 2018 that concluded at No.5 Texas in Game 3 of the NCAA Super Regional.
OVC PLAYERS TO WATCH
Tech features Owen Lee and Reece McDuffie who were named Players to Watch by the OVC and picked to finish fifth in the OVC in a vote amongst league head coaches. Lee appeared in 56 games last season, hitting nine home runs and driving in 37. He slugged .430, reached base at a 368 clip, and hit .249 (48x193) with 44 runs scored. He recorded 13 multi-hit games with 17 extra-base hits. Lee earned 33 walks and struck out 30 times, with five stolen bases without being caught. McDuffie leads all returning relievers with 54.2 innings pitched, while limiting batters to a .250 batting average and allowing 19 earned runs while walking just six. Over his three-year career, he has struck out 59 batters in 97.1 innings pitched, while walking 27, including a career-low six walks last season. In 2025, McDuffie posted a 3.13 ERA (19 ER, 54.2 IP) while registering a 4.61 K/9 IP and a career-low 1.10 WHIP.
NCBWA STOPPER OF THE YEAR WATCH LIST
NCBWA Preseason Stopper of the Year Watch List selection Reece McDuffie comes out of the bullpen as a high-level strike-thrower who walked just six batters last season in 54.2 innings while recording five saves and finishing with a 3.13 ERA. He went 4-0, allowing a career-low 19 runs over 21 appearances out of the pen last season.
ALL-OVC RETURNER
Jorsixt Jimenez returns to the Golden Eagles after earning All-Conference in 2025. Jimenez hit .315 with six home runs and 35 RBI. He laced 14 doubles and one triple. Jimenez posted a .423 OBP while slugging .506. He recorded 56 hits in 178 at-bats over 48 games last season. His batting average was in the Top 16 in the OVC. Jimenez tied for 6th in doubles, a mark that led the team in 2025.
NEWCOMERS
The Golden Eagles added 16 newcomers prior to the 2026 season. Jimenez Ty Barnett (LHP, Cincinnati), Cooper Casteel (LHP, Lee Univ.), Nash Crowell (INF, Reinhadt), Connor Crowson (INF, Montevallo), Jayden Dillard (RHP, Maryland Eastern Shore), Cade Fuller (INF, Freed-Hardeman), Manny Garza (C, ASU), Drew Kirby (RHP, Louisiana), Alex Kuntz (LHP, Concordia UW), Jamie Robertson (RHP, San Diego), Ty Denton (C, Cleveland State), A.J. Marchetti (C, Indian Hills CC), Tyler Bennett (INF, Christian Academy of Knoxville), Carson Davis (RHP, East Hamilton HS), Justin Fallon (OF/LHP, Upperman HS), and Jaxon Jones (INF/OF Hardin Valley Acad.).
Additional returners back in the lineup are senior second baseman Eddie Garza (.288/.397/.397), sophomore shortstop Owen Lee (.249/.368/.430) and sophomore center fielder Landon Smelser (.309/.382/.381), and redshirt sophomore outfielders Jackson Rooker (.240/.359/.269) and Luke Bragga (.207/.258/.207) will look to go from part-time players to full-time contributors.
Three newcomers stand out as potential instant-impact players in the lineup. Fifth-year senior catcher Manny Garza (Eddie's older brother) was a standout backstop at Rice.
Nash Crowell is a grad transfer from NAIA Reinhardt (Ga.), where he was a career .364/.468/.755 hitter. He also owns both the program single-season home run record (23) and the all-time home run record (60).
Connor Crowson from Division II Montevallo (Ala.). Last season at Montevallo, he had a 1.096 OPS, 16 home runs, and 62 RBIs. Like Crowell, he'll be looked at as a plug-and-play bat in the order.
FOLLOW THE GOLDEN EAGLES
Fans can be sure to follow the Golden Eagles baseball team on X (@TNTech_Baseball), Instagram (tntech_baseball), and Facebook (TTU Baseball) for news, notes, and updates.
