Games 4, 5 & 6
Sacred Heart at Tennessee Tech
Non-Conference
Friday, Feb. 23 - 4 p.m. (EST)
Saturday, Feb. 24 - 3 p.m. (EST)
Sunday, Feb. 25 - 2 p.m. (EST)
Bush Stadium - Cookeville, Tenn.

It's back down south for the second straight weekend for the Sacred Heart University baseball team, as the Pios head to Tennessee Tech for a three-game series Friday through Sunday at Bush Stadium in Cookeville, Tenn.
 
Located just off I-40 about midway between Knoxville and Nashville, Tennessee Tech has its roots as University of Dixie, which began operations in 1912, before being taken over by the state of Tennessee and renamed as Tennessee Polytechnic Institute in 1915, and eventually Tennessee Technological University in 1965. Henderson Hall, home to TTU's English and history departments, dates to 1931 and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
 
The Golden Eagles play their home games at Bush Stadium, located at the west end of the Tennessee Tech campus. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. (EST) on Friday, 3 p.m. (EST) on Saturday, and 2 p.m. (EST) on Sunday. No live stream will be available for the games, but live stats will be provided throughout the weekend by TTU.
 
LAST WEEKEND
Sacred Heart was swept on the road on opening weekend by defending Southland Conference champion Nicholls State. The Colonels ran up a 16-0 victory in the season opener, but the final two games were more competitive. The Pios suffered a 5-2 defeat on Saturday and then dropped a roller-coaster affair on Sunday, 19-12. Alex Ungar slashed .308/.357/.538 across the three games, while Tim McGuire socked SHU's first home run of the season on Sunday.
 
A LOOK AT THE PIOS
Sacred Heart (0-3) will be looking to get into the win column for the first time this weekend. For a team which had questions about its lineup heading into the opening weekend – with a number of spots to fill from the end of last year – the 12 runs on Sunday at Nicholls State were a positive sign moving forward. Ungar and McGuire were both named as NEC Primer Performers for their work at the plate last weekend.
 
Most pitchers remain on fairly strict pitch counts this early in the season, as they continue to build up their workload heading towards conference season, which can make getting through 27 innings in a weekend an adventure. SHU saw 12 different pitchers take the mound last weekend, while Nicholls State used 14 arms of its own.
 
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN EAGLES
Tennessee Tech (3-1), which made a postseason appearance in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament last spring, dropped its season opener, but wound up taking two of three at home against Bellarmine last weekend. The Golden Eagles also posted a 10-0 (7 inn.) midweek victory over Alabama A&M, which was the 500^th win in a TTU uniform for head coach Matt Bragga, who is in the fourth year of his second stint, and 18^th season overall, at the helm of the Golden Eagles. Bragga is a four-time OVC Coach of the Year and has taken Tennessee Tech to three NCAA tournaments.
 
Austin Turner leads the offense through four games, with a .333/.579/.583 slash line and a 1.162 OPS across 12 at-bats (4-for-12). He has drawn seven walks over the first four games.
 
ON THE MOUND
Sacred Heart projected starters:
Friday: Jake Babuschak (RHP)
            2023 stats: 81.1 IP, 81 H, 40 R (33 ER), 31 BB, 70 K, 3.65 ERA, 1.38 WHIP
            Last start: Feb. 16 at NSU (L), 2.0 IP, 6 H, 7 R (6 ER), 0 BB, 2 K
Saturday: Elijah Foster (RHP)
            2023 stats (Seton Hall Prep): 35.2 IP, 18 H, 13 R (12 ER), 18 BB, 62 K, 2.36 ERA
            Last start: Feb. 17 at NSU (ND): 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 3 K
Sunday: Jonathan Peterson (LHP)
            2023 stats (Monmouth): 7.0 IP, 13 H, 12 R (10 ER), 12 BB, 8 K, 12.86 ERA, 3.57 WHIP
            Last start: Feb. 18 at NSU (ND): 1.2 IP, 5 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
 
Tennessee Tech projected starters:
Friday: Landon Smiddy (RHP)
            2023 stats (ETSU): 62.2 IP, 86 H, 49 R (46 ER), 20 BB, 43 K, 6.61 ERA, 1.69 WHIP
            Last start: Feb. 16 vs. BU (L), 3.0 IP, 6 H, 7 R (6 ER), 2 BB, 2 K
Saturday: Peyton Calitri (RHP)
            2023 stats: 54.2 IP, 69 H, 50 R (40 ER), 21 BB, 45 K, 6.59 ERA, 1.65 WHIP
            Last start: Feb. 17 vs. BU (W), 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 4 K
Sunday: Jack Brafa (RHP)
            2023 stats (high school): 46.0 IP, 61 K, 2.03 ERA
            Last start: Feb. 18 vs. BU (W), 5.1 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
 
NICE TO MEET YOU
This weekend marks the first ever meetings between the two schools on the baseball diamond.
 
NEXT UP
SHU has one more southern trip on the schedule before sticking closer to home for the remainder of the year. The Pioneers will be in central Virginia March 1-3, for games against Virginia Commonwealth, Richmond, and William & Mary.