Golden Eagles breeze by Morehead State on Saturday
May 5, 2012

Golden Eagles breeze by Morehead State on Saturday

A seven-run fifth inning and great pitching by Holly Thomas propelled the Tennessee Tech softball team to an 11-2 victory at Morehead State on Saturday.

Box Score

MOREHEAD, Ky. -- A seven-run fifth inning and great pitching by Holly Thomas propelled the Tennessee Tech softball team to an 11-2 victory at Morehead State on Saturday.

Weather prompted a change of schedule, allowing the teams to play just one game on Saturday. A doubleheader is slated for Sunday at 11 a.m.

The Golden Eagles (23-28, 15-11 OVC) struck early as junior Melody Christian reached on an infield single and senior Whitney Cummings hit a first-pitch, two-run home run to center.

Junior Chanelle Spalding walked and stole a base to open the second, then came around to score on a single by sophomore Cassie Garrett. Freshman Angi Sakamoto doubled to score Garrett, putting Tech on top 4-0.

Thomas held Morehead State (14-34, 7-18 OVC) to just one hit through the first four innings, allowing just two balls to reach the outfield in that stretch.

Tech's bats exploded in the fifth as the Golden Eagles racked up seven runs on eight hits and three stolen bases. Sakamoto led off the inning with a walk and a stolen base and came in to score on an infield single by senior Brooke Basten. The Golden Eagles then rattled off seven consecutive hits with two outs, concluding with a two-RBI single to right by Sakamoto.

The Eagles managed two runs in the bottom of the fifth, but they weren't enough to close the gap as Tech took the mercy-rule victory.

Sakamoto went 2-for-2 with a walk, two runs and three RBI. Garrett hit 2-for-3 with a pair of runs and two RBI.

Every batter for Tech recorded at least one hit and nine Golden Eagles scored runs.

Thomas earned her 16th win of her senior campaign, striking out four and walking only one.

Jami Whitcomb was tagged with the loss, managing only one strikeout and allowing four earned runs.

With a pair of wins on Sunday, Tech could finish as high as third in the Ohio Valley Conference. Wins by Eastern Kentucky and UT Martin would propel the Golden Eagles to third place.