MOREHEAD, Ky. – Tennessee Tech's offense continued to shine on Sunday as the Golden Eagles completed their third straight Ohio Valley Conference sweep and their ninth conference win in a row as Tech topped Morehead State 10-3 and 7-3 at University Field.
With the victories, the Golden Eagles (12-19, 9-3 OVC) move into a tie for second place in the conference with five conference weekends remaining before the conference tournament in Peoria, Ill.
Eastern Illinois currently holds on to the top spot with a perfect 12-0 record, while UT Martin is tied with the Golden Eagles at 9-3. SIUE and Southern Indiana are tied for fourth at 7-5, while Southeast Missouri (6-5) is the last team in the league with a winning record in conference play.
Ashley Capelouto and Olivia Evans each went 3-for-4 in the day's start with Capelouto driving in three and Evans 1. Makayli Harris drove in two with a pair of sacrifice flies without collecting a hit in the game.
Jailynn Paderez powered the Golden Eagles in the second game, driving in four of Tech's seven runs as she went 4-for-4 at the plate with a home run, while Evans and Harris each went 2-for-4 in the nightcap with Harris driving in two.
Faith Rush went the distance in game one to pick up her first win of the season and her second career complete game. She allowed three runs – two earned – on seven hits as she walked three and struck out one.
Ainsley Stubbs took the loss, allowing seven runs – six earned – on eight hits in three innins, walking four and striking out two. Rylie Burney allowed three runs on five hits in two frames with two walks and a strikeout, while Emma Solis threw the final two innings, yielding one hit and a walk.
Morehead State struck first in the game as Sage VanDeMark scored the first run on a wild pitch, then a Sophie Collins RBI single made it 2-0 in favor of the hosts.
Julie Martin singled, then a wild pitch moved Martin and Bishop, then Evans singled Bishop home to tie the game. An error allowed Evans to move to second as a muffed throw allowed Martin to give Tech the 3-2 lead. Paderez drove in the first of her runs with a single to left center to bring Evans home. Capelouto hit a single to move Paderez to third, then Harris' first sacrifice fly scored the Tech third baseman, putting Tech up 5-2.
Morehead scored its last run in the bottom of the third as Sophie Collins singled home Sydney Farmer.
In the Tech fourth, Paderez reached on a fielding error and her pinch runner,
Skylar Gooden, stole second. Capelouto took the first two pitches for strikes, then unloaded as she launched a shot over the left center field wall for a two-run home run – her sixth round-tripper of the year.
Capelouto, in the fifth, drew a bases-loaded walk for another RBI, then Harris' second sac fly brought
Sofia Carroll home. Klinefelter singled to left center to plate Paderez for what was Tech's 10th and final run.
In game two,
Emily York also put on a complete game effort, allowing three runs – one earned – on seven hits, walking none and striking out five. Her counterpart, Allicen Harris, took the loss in the start, going 3 2/3 as she allowed six runs – four earned – on nine hits with two walks, while Stubbs worked the final 3 1/3, allowing one run on one hit with two walks and two strikeouts.
Neither team scored in the first two innings, but the Golden Eagles opened up the scoring with four runs in the top of the third. Paderez drove in Evans with a single to deep left, then Harris hit a two-run single to shallow left, bringing Carroll and Miller home. Klinefelter wrapped up the inning's tally with a sac fly to center field to score Capelouto.
Sela Pickford put MSU on the board with an RBI single in the third, but Tech got the run back and more as Carroll drew a two-out walk on four straight pitches, then Paderez loaded the count and blasted a shot over the left field wall for her first career home run, extending the Tech lead to 6-1.
Sophie Collins scored on Nyla Dolron's 4-3 grounder in the bottom of the fourth, then Sydney Farmer had an RBI double in the fifth to make it a 6-3 game. Paderez gave Tech its final run in the sixth inning as Paderez drove in
Julie Martin from second with a base hit up the middle.
York continued to deal, yielding just one hit in the final two frames to close out the contest.
The Golden Eagles will return to action Friday as they continue their road trip with an Easter weekend visit to Western Illinois
.
Photo | Brad Laux, Morehead State Athletics
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