MARTIN, Tenn.– The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team battled but fell to Western Illinois in the late innings of Game 1 to begin its weekend series, 4-3.
Mac Danford (2-for-4) and Cameron Brady (two RBI’s) homered while Zac Rice racked up a multi-hit game to guide the Skyhawks (7-15, 0-1 Ohio Valley Conference) at the plate.
Senior left-hander Tristan Walton started the game and struck out five batters with just two runs on three hits allowed over 5.2 innings. Tucker Reed (1.1 scoreless innings) kept the Leathernecks off the scoreboard late while Kaleb Baskin (0-2) was charged with the loss.
After Walton tossed a shutout frame in the first, Western Illinois (5-14, 1-0 OVC) got on the scoreboard with one run in the second. Walton retired nine consecutive batters at one point, hurling perfect innings in the third and fourth.
In the top of the fourth, Danford lifted a ball over the left field wall to level the score at 1-all. Following a Blaze Bell single, Brady would bash his second home run of the year to sway the lead over to the Orange and Blue at 3-1.
A clutch double play would end a Leatherneck threat in the fifth inning but Western Illinois got a run back in the sixth but Baskin got out of a jam, stranding the bases loaded and keeping the Skyhawks ahead 3-2 in the process.
After two quick outs were recorded in the bottom of the seventh, the Leathernecks would take the lead with a go-ahead two-run single.
Reed produced a clean eighth inning to give UT Martin a chance in the top of the ninth. Hunter McLean (hit by pitch) and Jalen Fithian (walk) both reached with one out to put the potential go-ahead run on the basepaths but Western Illinois held on for the win.
Game 2 will be moved up to 11 a.m. to avoid weather conflicts.
