CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo.– The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team received a multi-homer game from Will Smith to go along with solid pitching this afternoon but fell 3-2 to Southeast Missouri at Capaha Field.
A senior out of Prattville, Ala., Smith had three extra-base hits on the day as he produced his first career multi-home run game to go along with a double. Jalen Fithian and Hunter McLean also notched base hits while Mac Danford (walk, hit by pitch) reached base safely twice to guide the Skyhawks (20-32, 12-13 Ohio Valley Conference).
Tristan Walton was once again stout on the hill today, allowing only one run on three hits over the course of seven strong innings. The senior southpaw did not issue a walk while striking out six batters, moving into second place on the program’s single-season strikeout list with 88 punchouts. Tucker Reed (4-1) pitched the eighth inning for UT Martin.
Walton started the game with a perfect frame before stranding a pair of runners in the second, pitching around two runners aboard the basepaths with one out. That began a streak of 11 straight batters retired by the Clay, Ala. native, who whiffed five out of nine batters at one point.
Smith broke a scoreless tie in the top of the fifth, leading off the frame with a solo homer down the right field line to give the Skyhawks a 1-0 advantage.
After Walton did not allow a single baserunner in the third through fifth innings, Southeast Missouri (29-24, 16-9 OVC) evened the score in the bottom of the sixth. Shortstop Alec Beaman made a great play up the middle to end the inning, ranging behind the second base bag to fire a strike to first to prevent the go-ahead run from scoring.
UT Martin loaded the bases with one away in the seventh but the score remained tied. Walton went three-up, three-down in the bottom half before departing the game with a no-decision.
The Redhawks scored twice with two runs in the bottom of the eighth to take their first lead of the day.
Smith cranked a two-out blast in the ninth to pull the Skyhawks within a single run. UT Martin eventually put the tying run on base but Southeast Missouri would hold on for the win.
Game 2 of the series is scheduled for 6 p.m. tomorrow on ESPN+.
