Sports

Starting the season off hot

The Tennessee Tech baseball team is off to a hot start this season as it begin its 2014 season at 8-1 after defeating Lipscomb Tuesday afternoon. 

On Tuesday, the Golden Eagles went head to head against the Lipscomb Bison, winning with a walk-off hit ending the game at 10-9. Senior Zach Zarzour took the Lipscomb win as a test for the Golden Eagles.

“It was a test of our character to come back from large deficits at multiple points in the game,” said Zarzour. “We stayed positive and believed in the talent we have as a team and got the job done.”

The Golden Eagles were down more than once with multiple errors within the first four innings.

As the Golden Eagle offense started to catch, Zarzour batted first in the bottom of the fourth, bringing in a six-pitch walk. Immediately following, third baseman Daniel Miles hit a long ball to center field, resulting in a base hit.

Tech was finally on the board after junior Dylan Bosheers hit a single to center field and a hit by Jordan Hopkins brought in another run. Both David Allen and Jordan Parris brought in hits in the fourth, putting the Golden Eagles at a 4-4 tie with the Bison going into the fifth.

The Bison answered back with four more runs on five hits at the top of the fifth. In the bottom half, the Golden Eagles fought back, bringing in two hits to put the Golden Eagles at a two hit deficit. After two runs by Allen and Hopkins, the match was tied at the bottom of the fifth.

After an early hit at the top of the sixth, Lipscomb held the Golden Eagles at 9-8 throughout the sixth and seventh innings. With runners on second and third, Bosheers batted in Hunter Hudson off a 2-2 pitch deep to right field. Bottom of the ninth with bases loaded, junior outfielder Connor Godspeed hit a long fly ball to right field driving in the winning run.

Over the weekend, the Golden Eagles brought home the sweep after playing a four game series against the New York Institute of Technology Bears.

The Golden Eagles offense racked up a total of 55 hits against the Bears. Leading the Golden Eagles offense was junior David Allen, who went 3-for-3 in the final contest, with three RBIs, two runs scored and one base stolen.  Allen attributes the four game win to the powerful Golden Eagle roster.

“We have guys that constantly get on base and then other guys that can hit the ball harder than anyone else in our,” said Allen. “When our offense puts up double digit runs in the NYIT games, it takes a lot of stress off our pitchers, which, in turn, helps our pitchers dominate the opposing hitters. That was a major factor in our four game sweep.”

This weekend, the Golden Eagles will return to the diamond on Friday for a three game matchup against Big Ten member Northwestern at home.

The Northwestern Wildcats are 2-5 this season after a recent loss to Ball State.

The Golden Eagles are expected to start pitchers Chris Chism, John Gora and David Hess over the weekend against Joe Schindler, Matt Portland, and Reed Mason.

“I’m very excited,” Hess said. “They’re coming in with a good team that is looking for some big road wins. I feel that we are well prepared and as long as we go out and play our game, we should come away with some wins.”

The first pitch is at 3 p.m. on Friday at Bush Stadium. Admission to Tech baseball games is free and open to all fans.