Golden Eagles Rally to Take Down Austin Peay 7-5 on Tuesday
Tennessee Tech used a balanced offensive effort and a deep pitching staff to earn a 7-5 victory over Austin Peay Tuesday evening at Quillen Field at Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex.
Game 1
Game 1
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 12 | 0 |
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2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | X | 7 | 12 | 1 |
By Jeff Bowe, TTU Athletics Media Relations
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee Tech used a balanced offensive effort and a deep pitching staff to earn a 7-5 victory over Austin Peay Tuesday evening at Quillen Field at Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex.
The Golden Eagles (11-22, 1-8 OVC) tallied 12 hits on the night and scored in four different innings to fend off the Governors (16-17, 7-5 ASUN).
GOLDEN BATS
- Jackson Rooker drove in two big runs with a 2-for-5 performance with a double.
- The first five batters in the Golden Eagles' order drove in at least one run.
- Manny Garza went 3-for-4 with one RBI.
- Jorsixt Jimenez finished 2-for-5 with two runs scored, one double, and one RBI.
- Connor Crowson brought in a run with a sac fly.
EAGLES WINGS
- Drew Kirby (1.0 IP, 1 SO), Carson Davis (2.1 IP, 1 SO), and Reece McDuffie (1.2 IP, 2 SO) delivered five scoreless frames in relief.
- McDuffie earned his first win of the season (W, 1-1), tossing the final 1.2 innings.
Tech wasted little time getting on the scoreboard. In the bottom of the first inning, Owen Lee opened the rally with a double before Jorsixt Jimenez delivered an RBI triple to left field to plate the game's first run. Connor Crowson followed with an RBI groundout, giving the Golden Eagles a quick 2-0 advantage.
Austin Peay trimmed the deficit in the second, but Tech answered immediately in the bottom half of the inning. AJ Marchetti singled to right and later scored on a wild pitch before Jackson Rooker lined an RBI double down the left-field line to extend the Golden Eagle lead to 4-1.
The Governors pushed ahead briefly after scoring four runs across the third and fourth innings, but Tech reclaimed control in the sixth. Jimenez sparked the frame with a single and eventually came home on an RBI base hit by Manny Garza to tie the game.
Tennessee Tech delivered the decisive blow in the eighth inning. Eddie Garza opened the frame with a triple to deep center field before Landon Smelser reached on a fielder's choice. Rooker followed with an RBI single through the right side to score Smelser, and Lee added a sacrifice fly to bring home Marchetti for the eventual 7-5 margin.
Rooker puts us in front in the 8th!
— Tennessee Tech ⚾️⚾️ (@TNTech_Baseball) April 8, 2026
��: ESPN+ #WingsUp pic.twitter.com/H2CSJffKzz
Rooker led the Golden Eagles offensively with three hits and two RBI, while Lee added two hits and two RBI. Jimenez contributed a pair of hits, including the early RBI triple, and Manny Garza finished with three hits and an RBI in a strong night at the plate.
Six Tech pitchers combined to hold the Governors to five runs on 12 hits. Reece McDuffie earned the win after working the final 1.2 innings, stranding the tying runs in the ninth to secure the victory.
NEXT UP
Tennessee Tech opens a three-game OVC series at the UT Martin Skyhawks on Friday with first pitch scheduled for 5 p.m. CT.
