Tech Softball heads to league-leading EIU for weekend set
CHARLESTON, Ill. – The Tennessee Tech softball team has been playing much stronger in the Ohio Valley Conference this season, but the Golden Eagles will get tested this weekend as Tech heads north to take on conference leader Eastern Illinois in a three-game set on Saturday and Sunday. Presently, the series is still on the slate as a doubleheader Saturday, starting at noon with a single game Sunday at noon. With the potential for inclement weather this weekend, the schedule may shift. Updates will be available at TTUsports.com and on the softball team's social media channels if they occur.
Game 1
Game 1
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
|
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2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | X | 7 | 13 | 0 |
Game 2
Game 2
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
|
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0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | X | 6 | 9 | 1 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 11 | 3 |
|
|
0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 1 |
By Thomas Corhern, TTU Athletics Media Relations
CHARLESTON, Ill. – The Tennessee Tech softball team has been playing much stronger in the Ohio Valley Conference this season, but the Golden Eagles will get tested this weekend as Tech heads north to take on conference leader Eastern Illinois in a three-game set on Saturday and Sunday.
Presently, the series is still on the slate as a doubleheader Saturday, starting at noon with a single game Sunday at noon. With the potential for inclement weather this weekend, the schedule may shift. Updates will be available at TTUsports.com and on the softball team's social media channels if they occur.
With three weekends remaining in the regular season, the conference race certainly isn't any clearer. Eastern Illinois (23-20 overall, 14-3 OVC) has a tenuous grip on the top spot as UT Martin – the Golden Eagles' opponent next week – stands a game back with a 13-4 OVC mark, 26-17 overall.
Tech has a grasp on third with an 11-7 record in league play, though Southeast Missouri (10-7), SIUE (10-8), Southern Indiana (10-8) and Lindenwood (9-9) are within reach and still in the hunt for the title with only five games presently separating first and seventh.
Western Illinois (5-12), Morehead State (5-13) and Tennessee State (1-17) round out the current standings.
Statistically, Eastern Illinois and Tech could be an even match. The Golden Eagles stand second in batting, while the Panthers are third. In pitching, EIU is fifth, while Tech is sixth.
As a team, the Panthers are hitting .286, collecting 70 extra-base hits – 39 doubles, eight triples and 23 home runs – as they have 214 runs scored and 188 RBI. Lizzie Stiverson leads the team in average with a .351 mark, 22 RBI and 26 runs scored, while Chloe Wamboldt (.310) has a team-best 29 runs scored and 12 stolen bases.
Abbi Hatton (.280) leads in RBI with 30, followed by Lexie Griffin (.250) with 27 RBI and a team-best six home runs, with Sophia Olman (.263) kicking in 26 RBI.
In the circle, EIU has a 4.72 earned run average, allowing 227 runs – 188 earned – with 165 walks and 194 strikeouts. Rylan Gick (4.33 ERA) has the most wins in the battery with a 9-4 mark and 64 strikeouts, while Bryanna French (8-6) has the best ERA at 4.25, striking out 56. Karlie McKenzie (5.05 ERA, 5-8) has also seen significant innings.
The Panthers had a 15-game winning streak going, starting with a three-game sweep at Morehead State on March 8-9 through a three-game sweep over Western Illinois on March 28-29. Indiana State snapped the streak with a 3-0 win on March 31, then UT Martin ended the conference streak with a 5-4, nine-inning victory on April 3. The Panthers split 1-1 with the Skyhawks as weather wiped out the third game, then Southeast Missouri took two of three last week in Cape Girardeau.
The Panthers defeated Saint Louis on Thursday 6-1.
After a solid March going 10-6, the Golden Eagles have gone 3-5 in April with a pair of 1-2 series against Western Illinois and Southern Indiana. Tech's offense is still hitting well in the stretch, but late comebacks from the Leathernecks and close outings against the Screaming Eagles have paid their toll.
The Golden Eagles were able to get back in the win column on Tuesday with an 8-0 victory over Bellarmine, striking for six runs in the fourth to enact the run rule.
As a team, Tech is hitting .276 with 79 extra-base hits – 50 doubles, nine triples and 20 home runs – and have scored 184 runs with 160 RBI. Jailynn Paderez leads the team in average with a .390 clip, driving in 26. Ashley Capelouto (.363) has a team-best 33 RBI with 10 doubles and seven home runs, while Sophia Carroll (.306) has 21 RBI and Makayli Harris (.269) has 19 RBI with five home runs.
Olivia Evans (.288) leads the team in runs scored (29) and stolen bases (16).
In the circle, the Golden Eagles have a 4.54 ERA, allowing 186 runs – 156 earned – with 122 walks and 141 strikeouts. Addison Abell (3-2) leads the team in ERA with a 3.53 mark, while Faith Rush (3.91 ERA) also has a 3-2 record. Emily York (4.91 ERA) leads the team in wins with eight, while also striking out 60.
Photo | Jim Dillon
