Golden Eagles avoid sweep, blast Western Illinois in finale
MACOMB, Ill. – After a tough day Saturday, the Tennessee Tech softball team came out on Easter Sunday in a big way, blasting Western Illinois 12-4 to avoid the three-game sweep. The Golden Eagles (13-21, 10-5 Ohio Valley Conference) saw Jailynn Paderez drive in four runs as she was 2-for-3 from the plate, while Sofia Carroll went 4-for-5 with three RBI and three runs scored and Olivia Evans went 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
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2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 16 | 3 |
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0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 0 |
By Thomas Corhern, TTU Athletics Media Relations
MACOMB, Ill. – After a tough day Saturday, the Tennessee Tech softball team came out on Easter Sunday in a big way, blasting Western Illinois 12-4 to avoid the three-game sweep.
The Golden Eagles (13-21, 10-5 Ohio Valley Conference) saw Jailynn Paderez drive in four runs as she was 2-for-3 from the plate, while Sofia Carroll went 4-for-5 with three RBI and three runs scored and Olivia Evans went 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored.
Faith Rush collected the victory – her second of the season – as she allowed four runs – two earned – on five hits, walking three and striking out two over five innings. Addison Abell threw the final two innings with just one walk against her.
Libby Spaulding took the loss for Western Illinois (10-21, 5-9 OVC) as she allowed six runs on seven hits over the first two innings, striking out four. Lillie Wools, who won both games Sunday, allowed five runs on five hits with a walk and a strikeout over three frames. Kaelyn Walters threw the final two innings, allowing one run on four hits with a strikeout.
Tech wasted no time to get on the scoreboard in the top of the first. After Carroll collected a one-out double, Paderez swung for the fences and launched a two-run shot over the right field wall for her third home run of the season.
The Golden Eagles then added four runs in the second as Carroll hit a two-run single, pushing Ella Bishop and Abbee Klinefelter across the plate, then it was followed up by Paderez's two-run double to center field, carrying along Evans and Carroll to make it a 6-0 Tech lead.
Western Illinois scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth as Kennedy Highley drove in Angie Ortiz with a double to left center, then Rylee German's sacrifice fly allowed Raegan Boone to score.
Tech got those runs right back in the fifth inning as Ashley Capeluto singled home Carroll, then Klinefelter hit a sacrifice fly to right field to bring pinch runner Jayla Miller across. The Golden Eagles extended their lead in the sixth with back-to-back-to-back RBI doubles as Bishop drove in Bella Ochoa, Evans traded places with Bishop and Carroll plated Evans to make it 11-2 Tech.
Western Illinois scored its last two runs in the bottom of the sixth as an error allowed Ortiz and Maria Luna to score. The Golden Eagles, however, added one last insurance run in the seventh as Evans hit a triple to bring in Bishop.
Tech saw the OVC standings tighten a bit with the 1-2 results on the weekend. Eastern Illinois continues to stand in first at 13-1, while UT Martin is second at 10-4, just percentage points over the Golden Eagles at 10-5 as the Skyhawks and the Panthers were unable to play the third game of their series on Saturday. Southeast Missouri (8-6), Lindenwood (8-7), SIUE (8-7) and Southern Indiana (8-7) are all breathing down Tech's neck as 12 games remain in conference play.
The Golden Eagles return to action on Wednesday as they host North Alabama before hosting Southern Indiana in conference play on Saturday and Sunday.
