MARTIN, Tenn.– The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team went back-and-forth with Ohio Valley Conference foe Western Illinois but fell 7-6 in the rubber match today.
Will Smith (2-for-3, RBI and two walks), Andrew Fernandez (2-for-4, two doubles and an RBI) and Hunter McLean (2-for-3, home run and three runs scored) led the Skyhawks on the offensive end. Zac Rice extended his hitting streak to seven while driving in a run while Jalen Fithian doubled to record an RBI as UT Martin (8-16, 1-2 OVC) outhit the Leathernecks by a 10-9 margin.
Jeb Bartle made the start for the Skyhawks, conceding three earned runs on five hits while striking out three over five innings. Tucker Reed followed with two shutout innings before Zach Wager (0-3) finished out the game as he was charged with the loss after two runs crossed the plate in the bottom of the eighth.
UT Martin would jump on Western Illinois early with two runs in the top of the first as Fernandez (double) and Cole Smith (single) each produced RBI’s.
Bartle posted a scoreless frame in the first before the Leathernecks (6-15, 2-1 OVC) tied the game with a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the second. Bartle coasted through a scoreless third, giving the Skyhawks a chance to take the lead in the top of the fourth.
UT Martin’s fourth inning included a Fithian RBI double and a Rice sacrifice fly, pushing the Skyhawks ahead by a 4-2 margin. Western Illinois got one run back in the home half before Bartle dug deep for a big called strikeout to leave the bases loaded.
The Leathernecks would take their first lead of the day with two runs in the bottom of the fifth but it didn’t take long for UT Martin to tie the game. The Skyhawks loaded the bases thanks to McLean (walk), Fithian (reached on an error) and Rice (bunt single). Smith followed by lining a single to right on an 0-2 pitch to knot the score at 5-all.
Reed delivered shutdown innings in clutch spots – posting zeroes on the scoreboard in the seventh and eighth innings to keep the score tied.
After Western Illinois scored on an RBI single and a wild pitch in the bottom of the eighth, UT Martin kept battling. McLean cranked his first home run of the season in the ninth to make the score 7-6 but the Skyhawks could not put the potential tying run on the basepaths.
UT Martin will make a short drive to Southern Illinois for its next contest, playing the Salukis on Tuesday, March 26 at 6 p.m. on ESPN+.
