Golden Eagles even record with doubleheader sweep over Lady Govs
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- Another day of superb pitching by the
Tennessee Tech softball team gave the Golden Eagles two wins over
Austin Peay (6-21,0-4 OVC) on Saturday, evening their season record
at 15-15 (4-0 OVC).
Freshman Holly Thomas, coming off of her first career no-hitter,
allowed just two hits and one run in the early afternoon contest,
and sophomore Maddie Schmissrauter fanned 10 Lady Gov batters in
the second game.
Tech jumped ahead early in game one, scoring two runs in the second
inning. After sophomore Callie Schmidt led off the frame with a
single, Thomas followed with an RBI double. With two outs,
sophomore Kaleigh Gates lined a single to left field, scoring
pinch-runner Brooke Basten from third, putting the Golden Eagles up
2-0.
After a pair of singles in the bottom of the sixth, Tech extended
its lead when Lady Gov pitcher Ashley Elrod was unable to handle a
bunt by that allowed freshman Erin Cutlip and later, Gates to
score.
Austin Peay was able to earn just one run, scoring Ashley Taylor on
a fielder's choice in the third. Strong pitching by Thomas held
Austin Peay scoreless throughout the remainder of the game,
allowing just one hit in the last six innings. Thomas struck out
two in the seventh to even her season record at 7-7.
Game two began in the same fashion with Tech putting a deuce on the
board in the first inning when Schmidt's line drive single dropped
into right field, scoring runners from second and third.
The Lady Govs threatened in the third with the bases loaded and
just one out. Sophomore Maddie Schmissrauter's pitching and
fielding abilities refused to blow a lead as Austin Peay could only
advance one runner across the plate.
Tech's only other run of the game came in the fourth inning when
Gates essentially replayed her RBI from the first game, singling in
Basten from third.
Schmissrauter (8-8) pitched her second game in a row with
double-digit strikeouts, fanning four in a row through the fourth
and fifth innings. She finished the day with 10 strikeouts and only
one walk, allowing two earned runs on five hits.
Gates led the Golden Eagles at the plate, going 3-5 on the day with
two RBIs and a walk. Schmidt and Thomas also drove in key runs for
Tech. Thomas now leads the team with 20 RBIs.
Tech, on a five-game winning streak, wraps up the weekend Sunday at
1 p.m., hosting Austin Peay for the final game of the three-game
series.
