Golden Eagles use 11 to complete the sweep over Youngstown on Sunday
Chad Oberacker's two-RBI single in the bottom of the ninth forced extra innings of play with a 4-4 tie score in Sunday's finale against Youngstown State.
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles earned their first sweep of the season over the Penguins of Youngstown State this weekend, capping off play with a 5-4, 11-inning victory on Sunday afternoon.
Chad Oberacker's two-RBI single in the bottom of the ninth forced extra innings of play with a 4-4 tie score in Sunday's finale against Youngstown State.
Youngstown put two runs on the board in the top of the first for a 2-0 lead that they wouldn't relinquish until the bottom of the 11th. Padric Williams walked and Jeremy Banks singled, and both runners moved into scoring position on a goundout by Drew Dosch. Joe Iacobucci notched a two-RBI single to get YSU on the board.
Austin Wulf and Zephan Guyear teamed up in the second with a back-to-back double and groundout to cut the lead to one, but Youngstown responded in the top of the third when two passed balls put David Leon on third after a walk, and Banks' groundout extended the lead to 3-1.
Tech continued to chip away in the bottom of the eighth, working YSU reliever Craig Goubeaux for one run on two hits by Oberacker and Stephens. Oberacker's single pushed Guyear, who was on base on a hit-by-pitch, to third for Stephens to bring across the plate.
With the score at 3-2, the Penguins added some insurance in the top of the ninth as TTU reliever Nick Price walked two and threw Phil Lipari one for a single into right field.
But the Golden Eagles put the rally cap on in the bottom of the ninth, starting with a well-hit single by Chad Hayes (pictured) through the left side. Wulf walked, and Guyear's sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position. Oberacker punched a single through the right side to score both runners and force extra innings with a 4-4 score.
Both teams went scoreless on the 10th, but Hayes struck again in the bottom of the 11th, launching a triple into right field. YSU walked Guyer and Oberacker to load the bases after Wulf grounded out, and Zach Stephens stepped up to the plate. Stephens punched one back to Blake Aquadro, who looked for a play at first rather than at home, for an RBI groundout to end the game, 5-4.
Oberacker started on the mound for Tech, striking out 12 in eight innings of work, but Garrett Baugh got the win and improved to 2-0 after just one inning of play. Oberacker also led the Golden Eagles offensively with a 3-for-5, two-RBI effort at the plate. The Golden Eagles improved to 7-9 after the weekend while Blake Aquadro, who shouldered the loss, and the Penguins fell to 1-11.
Tech will host four more this week, starting with East Tennessee State on Wednesday at 3 p.m.
