Tech softball rallies to top ETSU
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – East Tennessee State jumped out to a 3-0 lead through four innings, but the Tennessee Tech softball team rallied back for the victory Tuesday evening, topping their future Southern Conference foes 5-3 at Tech Softball Field. The Golden Eagles (16-27) return to action this weekend as they host UT Martin to close out the home schedule on Saturday and Sunday. Admission to all games is free.
Game 1
Game 1
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
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0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | X | 5 | 6 | 0 |
By Thomas Corhern, TTU Athletics Media Relations
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – East Tennessee State jumped out to a 3-0 lead through four innings, but the Tennessee Tech softball team rallied back for the victory Tuesday evening, topping their future Southern Conference foes 5-3 at Tech Softball Field.
The Golden Eagles (16-27) return to action this weekend as they host UT Martin to close out the home schedule on Saturday and Sunday. Admission to all games is free.
Sofia Carroll and Ella Bishop led Tech at the plate with two hits each.
ETSU (17-24) may have taken a 3-0 lead through the first four innings, but the Bucs ended the game with just three hits.
Ella Wampler was the pitcher of record when the Golden Eagles took the lead, earning the victory as she threw the final two frames, yielding just one walk. Starter Addison Abell threw the first two innings, allowing one run on one hit, striking out one. Faith Rush came in at the top of the third and went an inning and two-thirds, allowing two runs with three walks. Hannah Lange then came in during the fourth and threw an inning and a third, walking one.
Catlin Pennington was tagged with the loss, throwing the sixth inning as she allowed two runs with one hit and two walks. Starter Eden Muncy went four frames, yielding a hit and a walk, while Taylor Suchy allowed three runs to tied the game on four hits.
With two down in the top of the first, Payton Moore put the Bucs on top with a no-doubt home run to deep center field, striking the batters' eye beyond the wall.
ETSU scored a second run in the third inning as Julie Martin and Alina Schlageter collided on a fly ball. The outfielders were able to catch and hold on to the ball despite the collision, while Riley Martens ran to third and kept on going to score, turning the play into a two-base sacrifice.
The Bucs scored their final run in the fourth. Riley Croley reached on a fielder's choice as the Tech defense threw out Maddison Stowell at second on a 5-4 play. Tiare Rieger and Martens each drew walks, then a wild pitch allowed Croley to score.
The Golden Eagles reversed their fortunes in the fifth inning. Makayli Harris led off the inning with her sixth home run of the season. Bishop and Addison McElhaney hit back-to-back singles, then Alina Schlageter laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners to second and third.
Bailee Stack hit a grounder to short, but reached on a fielder's choice as the defense threw home to take out Bishop at the plate. With McElhaney standing on third, a passed ball moved Stack to second as the lead runner crossed the plate safely.
Carroll hit a single to short and advanced to second as the Bucs tried to get Stack at home, but the Tech outfielder was able to score, tying the game at three runs each.
Tech scored the go-ahead runs in the sixth. Ashley Capelouto drew a leadoff walk, then her pinch runner, Skylar Gooden, advanced to second on Abbee Klinefelter's sacrifice bunt. Gooden stole third, then Harris walked on six pitches before stealing second.
Bishop collected the game-winning hit as she doubled to right center, driving in Gooden and Harris as the ball bounced off the wall with the runners advancing.
The Golden Eagles made quick work in the seventh, retiring Martens on a flyout on a 0-1 count, coaxing a grounder to second, then a grounder to short to end the game.
