COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball fell in the series finale to Tennessee Tech University, 13-3, Sunday afternoon in Cookeville, Tennessee. USI is 16-19 overall and 7-5 in the OVC, while TTU goes to 24-13 overall, 9-3 OVC.
USI jumped out in front in the third inning when sophomore third baseman Parker Martin hit a two-run blast over the right field wall for a 2-0 lead. The home run was Martin’s fourth of the season. TTU would rally in the bottom half of the frame to knot the game at 2-2.
After the Golden Eagles went up 3-2 in the fourth, USI tied the game, 3-3, when it manufactured a run in the fifth. Martin singled and advanced to second on a sacrifice, before moving to third on a base hit by junior designated hitter Cole Kitchens and scoring on a wild pitch.
The Golden Eagles took command in the bottom of the fifth, scoring 10 unanswered runs over the next three innings. TTU scored six in the fifth to move into the lead for good before sealing the 13-3 final with three in the sixth and one in the seventh.
Martin and Kitchens led the way for the Eagles with a pair of hits each. Martin finished the day two-for-three with two runs scored and two RBIs, while Kitchens was two-for-four.
On the mound, junior left-hander Jake Porter started and took the loss. Porter (2-2) allowed five runs, four earned, on seven hits and two walks, while striking out five.
