Martin, Tennessee– The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team scored seven runs in the second inning to defeat Ohio Valley Conference rival Tennessee Tech 15-6 at Skyhawk Field.
Skyhawks seven enjoyed multi-hit game Jalen Fitian (3 hits in 4 at bats, 3 runs scored) andrew fernandes (3 hits, 3 RBIs in 5 at bats), mac dunford (2 hits in 3 at bats, 3 run home run, 2 walks), blaze bell (2 hits, 2 RBIs), Cole Smith (2 hits, 1 RBI), hunter mclean (2 hits in 3 at bats, solo home run) cameron brady (2 hits, 1 run) UT Martin outscored the visiting team by a 17-8 margin. zach rice (Scores, RBIs), Will Smith (runs scored) and Alec Beeman (RBI) also contributed, with all nine spots in the lineup scoring at least one point.
top of the hill, Eric Steensma (3-5) He pitched five innings, allowing just four hits and one walk. Choice Diffie Continuing from the previous inning Zach Wager (1.1 innings) and tucker reed (1.2 innings) The Skyhawks closed out the game (17-25, 9-8 Ohio Valley Conference) by getting the final nine outs with zero earned runs for both players.
It was quick work for Steensma, who retired the first seven batters he faced. Meanwhile, UT Martin's offense picked up where it left off Friday night, with Bell scoring on a fielder's choice off Fitian in the bottom of the first inning to give the Skyhawks a 1-0 lead.
Skyhawk bats are just getting started. McLean had his fifth hit of the season in the home half of the second inning. Fernandez (double) and Bell (double) both had scoring hits before Dunford hit a three-run homer (career best 11).th home run), placing the cherry on top of the 7-run frame.
Tennessee Tech (26-17, 10-7 OVC) got one run back in the third inning and two runs in the fourth to make the score 8-3. Steensma fought back strongly in the fifth inning, keeping the Golden Eagles off the scoreboard in the final frame.
UT Martin's offense got back to work in the fifth inning, answering those three runs with three of their own. Rice (sacrifice fly) and Fernandez (two runs scored) scored RBIs, and the Skyhawks extended their lead to 11-3.
After Tennessee Tech scored two runs in the top of the sixth inning, Cole Smith He added one point on a sacrifice fly in the second half, increasing UT Martin's lead to seven points (12-5).
The Golden Eagles pushed past their unearned run in the seventh inning, but the Skyhawks quickly got one back in the bottom half. Fitian reached with a single, stole second, advanced on a throwing error, and managed to score on a wild pitch from third base.
After Wager struck out in the eighth inning, Reed came on and needed just one pitch to induce an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play. A relentless UT Martin offense produced two more runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, with Beeman lofting a sacrifice fly to score Dunford. Cole Smith Scored on a passed ball.
The Golden Eagles struck out Reed in the top of the 9th inning with a fly out, a ground out, and a strikeout, giving the Skyhawks their third straight win in OVC play.
UT Martin will compete in the sweeps tomorrow on ESPN+ starting at 1 p.m.
