Commodores Pull Away Late to Defeat Golden Eagles
Tennessee Tech jumped out early and showed offensive flashes Tuesday night, but a series of big innings from Vanderbilt proved too much as the Golden Eagles fell, 15-5 in eight innings, at Hawkins Field.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 1 |
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0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 18 | 2 |
By/Photo: Jeff Bowe, TTU Athletics Media Relations
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee Tech jumped out early and showed offensive flashes Tuesday night, but a series of big innings from Vanderbilt proved too much as the Golden Eagles fell, 15-5 in eight innings, at Hawkins Field.
Tech (9-16) struck first in the opening frame, as Manny Garza launched a solo home run to left field to give the Golden Eagles an early 1-0 advantage. Garza finished with a standout performance at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two RBI to lead the Tech offense.
The Golden Eagles continued to battle offensively, plating runs in the third, fourth, and fifth innings. Owen Lee delivered a sacrifice fly in the third, while Tech added two more in the fourth behind RBI production from Garza and a run-scoring sequence sparked by Tyler Bennett and Landon Smelser. Smelser also contributed an RBI of his own with a sacrifice fly in the fifth.
Despite the steady offensive effort that produced eight hits and five runs, Vanderbilt responded with momentum-shifting innings. The Commodores scored three runs in the second and fourth innings before breaking the game open with a five-run fifth, followed by additional runs in the sixth and eighth to pull away.
Jorsixt Jimenez added a multi-hit effort for Tech, finishing 2-for-4 with a double, while Smelser and Bennett each recorded hits as part of the Golden Eagles' eight-hit night.
On the mound, Tech utilized multiple arms in a bullpen-heavy effort, with Carson Davis and Justin Fallon providing scoreless relief appearances. However, Vanderbilt's lineup tallied 18 hits and capitalized on key opportunities throughout the contest.
The Golden Eagles showed resilience throughout, stranding 13 runners and continuing to generate scoring chances against a deep SEC pitching staff.
NEXT UP
Tennessee Tech hits the road for an Ohio Valley Conference series at SIUE, beginning Friday, Mar. 27 at 6 p.m.
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