COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech starting pitchers Adam Liberatore and Lee Henry each tossed a complete-game shutout, teaming up to record 21 strikeouts, and leading the Golden Eagles to a doubleheader sweep of Eastern Illinois baseball, 4-0 and 3-0, Saturday afternoon.

Liberatore struck out 12 in game one. Henry fanned nine in the seven-inning nightcap. The Panthers (9-24, 4-7 OVC) recorded eight hits against Liberatore but were limited to three singles by Henry. Liberatore walked only one and threw 123 pitches. Henry walked four and threw 111 pitches.

Eastern has now been shutout in four consecutive games at TTU's Bush Stadium dating back to the 2008 series in Cookeville. The Golden Eagles (17-19, 3-5 OVC) have held EIU without a run for 37 consecutive innings over that stretch going back to the fifth inning of the March 29, 2008 series opener.

 

The Panthers were also shutout in consecutive games for the first time since losing both games of a doubleheader to Jacksonville State at home in April 2008. All three of EIU's shutout losses this season have come in Ohio Valley Conference play.

The Panthers trailed basically all of game one after A.J. Kirby-Jones connected for his league-leading 18th home run of the season in the bottom of the first inning.

 

Tennessee Tech won game two with a three-run fifth inning. With the bases loaded and one out, Tate McMillan singled up the middle. A third run scored on the play on an error by Daniel Rowe.

 

Mike Recchia struck out seven for a fourth consecutive start in game one. He gave up four runs (three earned) on five hits over 7 1/3 innings.

 

Mike Hoekstra gave up three runs (one earned) over 4 1/3 innings in game two. He gave way to Brent McNeil out of the bullpen after walking Kirby-Jones following the go-ahead single from McMillan. Hoekstra's consecutive scoreless innings streak was snapped at 11.

 

Eastern had a chance to tie the series opener in the top of the fifth inning. Daniel Bracken and Curt Restko singled and doubled, respectively, in consecutive at-bats, putting runners on second and third with one out. But Liberatore struck out both Zach Borenstein and Ben Thoma to escape the jam. Tech tacked on an insurance run with a squeeze bunt in the bottom half of the frame.

 

In game two, the Panthers left runners on the corners in the third inning and stranded four runners in scoring position total.

Cam Strang was the lone EIU player to record multiple hits in game one and finished the day 3-for-5 with a walk and a sacrifice bunt.

 

Restko's 12-game hit streak in OVC play dating back to last season came to an end in game two. Borenstein did extend his streak of consecutive games reaching base safely to 25 with a third-inning single in game one and a first-inning walk in the nightcap.

Alex Gee and Bracken were the only Panthers that did not strike out against Liberatore. Bracken also drew EIU's only walk in game one.

Sunday's series finale is slated for a 1 p.m. first pitch. The probable pitching matchup is EIU's Josh Mueller (Jr, RHP) vs. TTU's Tristan Archer (Fr, RHP).