PDF Stats (Game 1) |
PDF Stats (Game 2)
RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University softball team continued its recent hot streak by taking a pair of OVC games from Tennessee Tech Saturday afternoon by scores of 4-1 and 8-6.
The Colonels (23-23, 13-7 OVC) have now won eight of their last nine contests.
Eastern Kentucky notched five home runs in the doubleheader sweep. Senior
Katie Tackett crushed two home runs in the second game and is now one long ball away from tying the program career record of 42 home runs held by
Raquel Howes (2010-13).
EKU didn't waste any time hitting the ball out of the park. On the third pitch of the opener, sophomore
Krislyn Campos homered to center field to put the Colonels ahead, 1-0. Later in the inning, freshman
Sarah Jackson hit her eighth home run, a two-run shot to center, to extend the lead to 3-0.
The three runs was more than enough for senior pitcher
Leanna Pittsenbarger (10-10). After walking the opening batter, the righty retired the next 12 Tennessee Tech (26-25, 13-10) batters. TTU's only hit of the game came in the top of the fifth when Kelly Kennedy hit a solo home run. Pittsenbarger tossed her eighth complete game of the season and piled up eight strikeouts in the victory.
Game two was a slugfest that saw the Colonels notch four runs in both the first and fourth innings. Tackett's first long ball, a two-run blast over the scoreboard in center field, capped the opening inning to give Eastern a 4-3 lead.
Junior
Kayla Joyce led off the fourth inning with her first homer of the season to make the score, 5-3. Four batters later, Tackett hit a moon shot over the left field wall to plate three runs and stretch Eastern's advantage to 8-3.
Tennessee Tech fought back and scored a solo run in the fifth, six and seventh innings. The Golden Eagles put the tying run on base in the final frame, but Pittsenbarger came on in relief to get the final two outs on a pop out and strike out.
Jackson led Eastern Kentucky with three RBIs in game one while Tackett equaled a personal-high with five RBIs in the second contest.
The Colonels wrap up their 2015 home schedule tomorrow against Tennessee Tech and will celebrate Senior Day prior to the game. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
