Tech survives Morehead homer barrage to extend OVC win streak to seven
MOREHEAD, Ky. – Tennessee Tech took a big lead early, but Morehead State kept coming back with home runs from Noemye Letendre and Sela Pickford. The Golden Eagles were able to hold off the host Eagles, winning 15-10 to extend their Ohio Valley Conference winning streak to seven games.
Game 1
Game 1
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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0 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 15 | 18 | 1 |
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0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 16 | 4 |
By Thomas Corhern, TTU Athletics Media Relations
MOREHEAD, Ky. – Tennessee Tech took a big lead early, but Morehead State kept coming back with home runs from Noemye Letendre and Sela Pickford.
The Golden Eagles were able to hold off the host Eagles, winning 15-10 to extend their Ohio Valley Conference winning streak to seven games.
All 10 of Morehead State's runs were scored on home runs as Letendre had two three-run home runs – one in the third and another in the fourth – and Pickford had a grand slam in the sixth.
Sofia Carroll lead Tech at the plate as she went 3-for-6 with three RBI and three runs scored, while Jailynn Paderez was 3-for-4 with one RBI. Ashley Capelouto and Olivia Evans each drove in two.
Emily York emerged with the victory in relief as she worked 3 1/3 innings, allowing seven runs on nine hits, walking one and striking out one. Starter Addison Abell went the first two frames, allowing three runs on three hits. Hannah Lange worked two-thirds of an inning, yielding three hits. Faith Ruth pitched the final inning, allowing one hit.
Allicen Harris took the loss, allowing four runs on seven hits over 1 2/3 innings, walking one and striking out two. Emma Solid allowed four runs – three earned – on two hits over an inning of work with three walks, while Rylie Burney threw the final 4 1/3, allowing seven runs – six earned – on nine hits with four walks and one strikeout.
Tech (10-19 overall, 7-3 OVC) scored nine runs in the second and third innings combined as it looked to end the game early. In the second, Evans hit a two-run triple, driving in Abbee Klinefelter and Julie Martin, then Carroll drove in Evans with a double. Paderez brought Carroll home with a single to shallow right.
In the third, three errors helped the Golden Eagles extend their lead as Evans scored on an throwing error as Ella Grace Harvey stole home for two runs. A fielding error on Ella Bishop's batted ball led to Carroll and Paderez scoring, then Capelouto scored on a throwing error on Makayli Harris' grounder to short, making it a 9-0 Tech lead.
MSU answered in the bottom of the third as Marie Perdew and Victoria Spencer led off with back-to-back singles, then Letendre went yard on the first pitch, sending the ball over the left center field wall.
It wasn't quite déjà vu in the fourth as Perdew was hit by a pitch with one down, then Spencer doubled to right. The result, however, ended up the same was Letendre took the first two pitches for strikes, then launched the ball of the left field wall to make it a 9-6 game.
Tech got five runs back in the sixth as Harris led the inning off with a first-pitch solo shot to deep center, then Carroll had a two-run single down the left line, while Capelouto cleared the bases with a triple into right.
MSU responded in the bottom of the sixth after Spencer hit a lined shot to center field for the first out, then Letendre and Maddy Christopher hit back-to-back singles, while Sage VanDemark walked on the seventh pitch to load the bases. Pickford stood in, took a swing at the first pitch, then watched the next two for balls before sending the next pitch out of the park to make it a 14-10 Tech lead through six.
The Golden Eagles collected one last run in the top of the seventh as Julie Martin drove in Harris with a single to left center. A fielding error allowed runners to move up, but no one else crossed the plate.
After getting back-to-back singles to open the bottom of the seventh, Rush came in to pitch and immediately coaxed a foul-territory pop-up. After a VanDemark single to load the bases, Pickford was called out for being out of the batter's box, then Sydney Farmer hit a fly ball to right to end the game.
The Golden Eagles return to action Sunday as they play two against Morehead State, starting at 11 AM Central.
Photo | Brad Laux, Morehead State Athletics
