Golden Eagles tripped twice by No. 8 Michigan and No. 20 Louisville
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The tough early season schedule continued
Sunday for the Tennessee Tech softball team, as the Golden Eagles
(7-13) dropped games to No. 8 Michigan and No. 20 Louisville at the
Louisville Invitational Tournament. Michigan blanked Tech 13-0 in
five innings, and Louisville scored late to claim a 7-2
victory.
The Golden Eagles will visit Lipscomb University in Nashville
Tuesday for a doubleheader, then return to Cookeville for their
first home games of the season with a Thursday doubleheaders
against Tennessee Wesleyan starting at 12 noon.
The 13-0 loss in the opener against Michigan boiled down to two
words: Jordan Taylor. The Wolverine pitcher blanked the Golden
Eagles with a five-inning no-hitter. She didn't walk a batter and
struck out nine, facing just one batter over the minimum. Lacie
Coquerille was Tech's lone base runner, reaching second on an error
in the second inning.
Michigan had 13 hits in scoring its 13 runs. Maddie Schmissrauter
pitched the first two innings and took the loss, while Whitney
Cummings pitched the final three frames.
In the game against Louisville, Tech had a chance to grab an early
lead with a second inning double by Katie Betry but couldn't bring
her home. Instead, the Cardinals scored three in the bottom of the
second with back-to-back singles and a three-run home run by
Chelsea Bemis.
The Golden Eagles got two of those runs back in the top of the
third. Jordan Leff and Kimmie White set the table with singles, and
Whitney Cummings cleared the bases with a two-run double to make it
3-2.
Louisville's first run in the fifth came from a single, stolen base
and RBI hit from Kristi Cunningham. Once again, Bemis delivered
with an RBI double to make it 5-2. The Cardinals added their final
two runs in the sixth when Kassie Stanfill singled to drive home
the first run and Cunningham's double plated the final run.
Holly Thomas took the loss for Tech, working all six innings and
allowing 13 hits and seven runs. She walked two and struck out one.
Betry had two of Tech's seven hits off Louisville pitcher Kristen
Wadwell. Cunningham was 3-for-4 and Bemis was 2-for-3 to pace the
Cards.
