Golden Eagles celebrate Mother’s Day with road win over Lions in series finale
ST. CHARLES, Mo. – A spectacular start on the hill and a brilliant performance at the plate were enough for the Tennessee Tech baseball team to celebrate Mother’s Day in style, as the Golden Eagles salvaged their Ohio Valley Conference finale at Lindenwood Sunday afternoon with a 4-3 victory.
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2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 1 |
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By Mike Lehman
ST. CHARLES, Mo. – A spectacular start on the hill and a brilliant performance at the plate were enough for the Tennessee Tech baseball team to celebrate Mother's Day in style, as the Golden Eagles salvaged their Ohio Valley Conference finale at Lindenwood Sunday afternoon with a 4-3 victory.
For the third straight contest of the weekend in St. Charles, Mo., the purple and gold struck the scoreboard in the opening frame, with center fielder Landon Smelser leading things off with a base hit to right-center field, his third game in a row with a lead-off knock. Two batters later, shortstop Owen Lee blasted a two-run shot to right field, clearing the wall for a 2-0 Tech lead.
The Cookeville crew backed up the sophomore's 11th pump of the season in the fourth inning, using small ball to add a third run to the tally. Catcher Manny Garza doubled to left field to open the frame, advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt by third baseman Connor Crowson.
Garza's twin brother and Golden Eagle second baseman Eddie drove him in on the next pitch, sending a sac fly to center field for the 3-0 lead. The advantage proved enough for sophomore starter Braxton Lewis to eventually earn his second win of the season.
Making just the third start of his career and the season, Lewis covered a career-high 7.0 innings on the hill, scattering three hits and one walk while surrendering just one earned run and two total. He also struck out a trio of Lion batters.
Lindenwood picked up its first run of the game in the sixth, taking advantage of a Tech error to set things up for a sac fly and unearned marker. Lee responded for the purple and gold to lead off the eighth, smashing his second bomb of the contest to right field for a 4-1 lead.
Lewis trotted back out to the mound to start the eighth inning, but exited following a lead-off single. The Lions eventually scratched across a run before the Golden Eagle bullpen finished the frame off without further damage.
In the ninth, Lindenwood got one more shot at securing a series sweep, picking up a one-out solo shot to center field that pulled the home squad to within 4-3. The Lions singled on the next pitch, prompting Tech head coach Matt Bragga to turn to veteran Drew Mattox out of the bullpen.
The junior right-hander needed just a single pitch to secure his first save of the season, setting up a 5-4-3 double play to end the day and keep the purple and gold in the hunt for a spot in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.
The Golden Eagles will conclude their final regular season as members of the OVC next weekend, playing host to long-time league rival Morehead State in a three-game series beginning with a 6:00 p.m. CT affair on Thursday, May 14, at Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex.
Photo by Jim Dillon
