Oberacker slams Tech to 12-8 victory over Lipscomb
Chad Oberacker hit his second career grand slam and earned the win as Tech defeated Lipscomb Wednesday 12-8 in Bush Stadium.
Chad Oberacker hit his second career grand slam and earned the victory as Tennessee Tech defeated the Lipscomb Bison 12-8 Wednesday evening in Bush Stadium.
It was the second time in as many nights that Tech (13-17) used a late rally to secure the victory over interstate rival Lipscomb (10-20). Home runs lit up the night sky as both teams combined for six round trippers.
Cory Hale and Kyle Henry each hit a pair of homers for the Bison who had established a two-run lead going into the bottom of the eighth inning when Tech put six on the board. Oberacker and Casanova Donaldson went deep for Tech. Oberacker and A.J. Kirby-Jones both had three of Tech’s 13 hits. Austin Wulf, Frankie Beech and Casanova Donaldson also added two hits apiece in the effort.
Tech took control of the game with a six run rally in the eighth. Chad Hayes got things started with a one-out single. Frankie Beech followed suit with a liner up the middle for a single. Austin Wulf singled to load the bases and Tate McMillan tied a school record with his fourth walk of the game bringing in Hayes to make the score 8-7. Kirby-Jones roped an RBI single to center scoring Beech and tying the game at eight. Oberacker then hit the third pitch he saw deep over the right field fence for the game winning grand slam.
The Bison drew first blood on a seeing-eye single to left field by Teschner with two outs in the top of the second.
Cory Hale increased the Bison lead to 2-0 when he blasted a home run over the center field fence in the third inning.
The Golden Eagles broke onto the scoreboard in the bottom of the third when Kirby-Jones singled home Beech to make the score 2-1.
Kyle Henry then took Shepherd deep with one on in the top of the fourth to increase Lipscomb’s lead to 4-1.
Tech claimed the lead in the bottom of the fifth. McMillan scored on a bases loaded wild pitch making the score 4-2. Donaldson then took Matt Bowling’s 1-2 offering over the right field wall giving Tech a 5-4 lead.
Lipscomb tied the score at five when Henry hit a two-out solo home run to right center field in the top of the sixth.
The Bison then reclaimed the lead in the top of the seventh when Hale hit his second home run of the contest. This one was a two-run bomb over the fence in left.
Tech closed the gap to one in the bottom half of the seventh. Oberacker hit a triple to deep right center field and scored on an errant throw from the shortstop to third base.
Lipscomb stretched the lead to 8-6 in the top of the eighth. Wilkins hit a single with one out to get things started. Henry followed with a walk and Matt Brewer advanced both runners two bases with a hit to right field.
Tech returned secured the victory scoring half of their runs in the home half of the eighth inning.
Tech starter Matthew Shepherd went seven innings striking out three in the no decision. Oberacker (1-2) pitched the final two innings to earn his first win of the season. Josh Cotham (0-1), the second of four Lipscomb pitchers was handed the loss.
The Golden Eagles travel to Southeast Missouri this weekend for a three-game conference series against the Redhawks.
