Friday, February 15
Russellville, Ark.
4:00 PM
UT Martin
vs
South Dakota State
UTM BASEBALL TAKES ON SOUTH DAKOTA STATE IN NEUTRAL-SITE SERIES
2/13/2019 9:30:00 AM | Baseball
MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball squad kicks off the 2019 season by taking on South Dakota State in a neutral-site matchup held in Russellville, Ark.
First pitch of the series is slated for Friday, Feb. 15 at 4 p.m. Saturday's game will see 1 p.m. start time with the series finale on Sunday beginning at noon. The series was originally scheduled for a four-game set at home for the Skyhawks but was moved due to inclement weather and field conditions at Skyhawk Field.
UT Martin looks to a strong veteran offense to lead the Skyhawks in the upcoming year. Preseason All-OVC outfielder Jordan Stoner leads the pack as he sported a .382 batting average last year and garnered a spot on the All-OVC first team. Fellow senior Creighton Eldridge plans to make a comeback splash as the outfielder missed most of last season due to an injury. Eldridge put together a great 2017 campaign as he boasted a .548 slugging percentage and tallied six triples and nine round trippers.
The infield sees a trio of sophomore veterans set things up for success. Blake Davis brings back a wealth of experience gained behind the plate as he garnered an All-OVC freshman team nod along with fellow sophomore Ethan Whitley, who also picked up a Collegiate Baseball Newspaper All-American honor, at first base. Casey Harford rounds out the trio and moves from shortstop (where he played 44 games last season) to second base.
The UT Martin rotation will be right-handed pitcher Winston Cannon getting the Game 1 starting nod. Cannon started a team-high 14 games last season and logged over 71 innings while he rung up 67 batters along the way. Southpaw Sam Folks looks to start Game 2 for the Skyhawks. Folks started 11 games last season and picked up a victory over No. 13-ranked Southern Miss last season. Righty Austen Bullington will start Game 3 of the series. Bullington started six contests while appearing in 17 games, recording 66 innings pitched and fanned 42 batters in the process.
South Dakota State turns to Gus Steiger to lead the Jackrabbits. Steiger paced the club with a .311 batting average and team-best 60 hits last year. Utility man Nick Smith also aims to make a difference for South Dakota State as he sported a .303 batting average last season and struck out just 14 times in 33 games played. Josh Falk returns the biggest bat from the 2018 season for the Jackrabbits as he boasted 11 doubles and six round trippers.
The South Dakota State rotation features left-handed pitcher Brady Stover, who sported a squad-best 4.57 earned run average in nine starts, in Game 1. The Game 2 starter will be senior righty Ryan Froom, who missed the entire 2018 season due to an injury and missed nearly half of the 2017 season as well. Froom has tossed a great 2015 campaign as he tallied an impressive 3.22 ERA in 67 innings pitched. His 2016 line saw him hurl a team second-best 76.1 innings on the mound. Freshman right-handed pitcher Nic McCay looks to get the Game 3 start for third-year head coach Rob Bishop.
First pitch of the series is slated for Friday, Feb. 15 at 4 p.m. Saturday's game will see 1 p.m. start time with the series finale on Sunday beginning at noon. The series was originally scheduled for a four-game set at home for the Skyhawks but was moved due to inclement weather and field conditions at Skyhawk Field.
UT Martin looks to a strong veteran offense to lead the Skyhawks in the upcoming year. Preseason All-OVC outfielder Jordan Stoner leads the pack as he sported a .382 batting average last year and garnered a spot on the All-OVC first team. Fellow senior Creighton Eldridge plans to make a comeback splash as the outfielder missed most of last season due to an injury. Eldridge put together a great 2017 campaign as he boasted a .548 slugging percentage and tallied six triples and nine round trippers.
The infield sees a trio of sophomore veterans set things up for success. Blake Davis brings back a wealth of experience gained behind the plate as he garnered an All-OVC freshman team nod along with fellow sophomore Ethan Whitley, who also picked up a Collegiate Baseball Newspaper All-American honor, at first base. Casey Harford rounds out the trio and moves from shortstop (where he played 44 games last season) to second base.
The UT Martin rotation will be right-handed pitcher Winston Cannon getting the Game 1 starting nod. Cannon started a team-high 14 games last season and logged over 71 innings while he rung up 67 batters along the way. Southpaw Sam Folks looks to start Game 2 for the Skyhawks. Folks started 11 games last season and picked up a victory over No. 13-ranked Southern Miss last season. Righty Austen Bullington will start Game 3 of the series. Bullington started six contests while appearing in 17 games, recording 66 innings pitched and fanned 42 batters in the process.
South Dakota State turns to Gus Steiger to lead the Jackrabbits. Steiger paced the club with a .311 batting average and team-best 60 hits last year. Utility man Nick Smith also aims to make a difference for South Dakota State as he sported a .303 batting average last season and struck out just 14 times in 33 games played. Josh Falk returns the biggest bat from the 2018 season for the Jackrabbits as he boasted 11 doubles and six round trippers.
The South Dakota State rotation features left-handed pitcher Brady Stover, who sported a squad-best 4.57 earned run average in nine starts, in Game 1. The Game 2 starter will be senior righty Ryan Froom, who missed the entire 2018 season due to an injury and missed nearly half of the 2017 season as well. Froom has tossed a great 2015 campaign as he tallied an impressive 3.22 ERA in 67 innings pitched. His 2016 line saw him hurl a team second-best 76.1 innings on the mound. Freshman right-handed pitcher Nic McCay looks to get the Game 3 start for third-year head coach Rob Bishop.
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