SIUE Suffers First Conference Loss

Tennessee Tech needed just one inning to end SIUE's six-game Ohio Valley Conference winning streak. The Golden Eagles scored eight times in the fourth inning and went on to a 12-3 win over SIUE in the first game of a three-game series.

The Cougars dropped to 6-1 in the OVC and 6-10 overall while Tennessee Tech improved to 10-9 overall and 4-3 in the OVC.

SIUE starter Ryan Daniels (1-3) sat down the first nine hitters he faced, striking out two. Daniels allowed a leadoff single in the fourth before getting a ground ball double play for the first two outs in the inning. The Golden Eagles then used four hits, a walk, and a hit batter to score eight times. Josh Pankratz hit a grand slam in the inning and then David Allen followed with a solo home run to cap the inning.

Daniels lasted just 3.2 innings allowing the eight runs on seven hits. He walked one and struck out one.

"The simple fact is our starting pitcher didn't do the job again, for the seventh time in conference play," SIUE Head Coach Tony Stoecklin said. "When you give up eight runs with two outs and you look totally different then you did when the inning started there's something going on allowing that to happen."

TTU starter Chris Chism (4-0) allowed only a single run over seven innings. He allowed four hits, did not walk a batter and struck out nine.

"Their starter did a good job. He had good stuff tonight," Stoecklin added "He kept us off balance. He worked the outer half of the plate with his fastball and slider."

Nick Lombardo got the Cougars on the board with a leadoff home run in the sixth inning. Collin Book added an RBI on a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning. Alec Saikal also hit a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning.

The Cougars finished with just six hits. Skyler Geissinger was the only player with more than a single hit. He was 2 for 4.

Tennessee Tech had 14 hits against three SIUE pitchers.

Caleb Wilkerson allowed three runs in 3 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out two. Jacob Stewart allowed a run and struck out two in an inning of relief.

The Cougars and Golden Eagles play the second game of the series Saturday. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.

"The goal is not to sweep," Stoecklin said. "The goal is to come here and win the series. Obviously it becomes more difficult to win two games in a row on the road, but certainly this club is capable of coming together and finding a way to get it done tomorrow and giving ourselves a chance on Sunday."