The sun was shining, and so were the Golden Eagles as they demolished rival East Tennessee State 15-7 Wednesday. Leading the way for Tech was Casanova Donaldson, who was inserted into the starting lineup 30 minutes before the first pitch.
Donaldson made an impact as he tied the school record with five hits, including two in one inning.
“Coach has us prepared to win every time you come to the plate, and that’s what I try to do every time I come to the plate,” Donaldson said.
The Golden Eagles (12-10, 0-5 OVC) also received stellar performances from captain Alex Henry and senior Evan Webb as both went 3 for 5 from the plate, each hitting a home run and driving in two runs.
Standout hitters Chad Oberacker and A.J. Kirby-Jones also extended their hitting streaks to nine and 12 games, respectively.
Tech started the game with a solo blast from Alex Henry in the bottom of the first. They never looked back after erupting for eight runs in the fifth inning and five more in the seventh.
“It’s really big to put up a 15 spot,” Coach Matt Bragga said. “It’s been awhile since we’ve scored double-digits, and it’s great to see our offense do that. We have a good offense. It’s just a matter of getting it going.”
Tech’s performance Wednesday was a far cry from its weekend losses to defending conference champion Eastern Illinois.
Tech was swept in a doubleheader last Sunday by 25-5 and 2-0 scores.
The third game of the series was cancelled because of the horrendous weather that has plagued the Golden Eagles for most of the season.
Tech hopes to continue their inspiring play this weekend when they travel to Morehead State seeking their first conference victory of the season.
Morehead fields one of the OVC’s best hitters, Drew Lee. He leads the conference in hits, RBIs and total bases.
“As of right now I think we are a new team,” Donaldson said. “We’re ready for conference now, and we will come out on top. As long as we play as well as we are capable of, we always have a great shot to win.
