Tech gets offense going as Arden shuts down Western Illinois
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Weather kept delaying the Tennessee Tech softball team in finally getting back on the field, but once they did, the Golden Eagles came up with some big hits as they defeated Western Illinois 7-0 on Friday in the first day of the Alabama State Invitational. Tech (4-5) will continue action on Saturday, weather permitting, against Western Illinois in a 1 p.m. rematch, then a 7:30 p.m. contest against host Alabama State. It was a fantastic outing for Alyssa Arden in the circle as she picked up her second win, throwing a four-hit shutout. She walked two and struck out four.
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By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Weather kept delaying the Tennessee Tech softball team in finally getting back on the field, but once they did, the Golden Eagles came up with some big hits as they defeated Western Illinois 7-0 on Friday in the first day of the Alabama State Invitational.
Tech (4-5) will continue action on Saturday, weather permitting, against Western Illinois in a 1 p.m. rematch, then a 7:30 p.m. contest against host Alabama State.
It was a fantastic outing for Alyssa Arden in the circle as she picked up her second win, throwing a four-hit shutout. She walked two and struck out four.
Meanwhile, five Golden Eagles picked up RBIs in the contest as Jessie Lowery went 2-for-3 and Beth McCulley went 2-for-4 at the plate.
Tech scored its first run as freshman Raleigh Lewis hit her first career home run, a long drive to left field. The Golden Eagles then made it a 2-0 contest in the fourth as Sydney Love-Baker hit her second round-tripper of the season
Two more runs scored for the Golden Eagles in the fifth as Lowery scored on a bases-loaded walk to Love-Baker. With the bags still juiced, Lewis was plunked, sending Hannah Richter home for a 4-0 lead.
The scoring concluded in the sixth inning as Tech struck for three more runs. Raegan Sparks led off with a double to left center, then moved to third as Lowery reached on an error at short. Haeli Bryson drove in Sparks and moved Lowery to third on a sacrifice fly to center field.
McCulley drove in Lowery with a single to right, then Hallie Davis hit a triple to left center to send McCulley across the plate.
Savannah Rodriguez was tagged with the loss for the Fighting Leathernecks, allowing four runs on six hits in five innings of work, walking three and striking out four. Payton Abbott went two-thirds of an inning, allowing three runs on three hits, while Emily Ira had an effective inning and a third, not yielding a hit or a walk.
