Tuesday, May 21
Marion, Ill.
6 P.M.
UT Martin
vs
Eastern Illinois
BASEBALL SKYHAWKS OPEN OVC CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY ON TUESDAY
5/20/2019 11:55:00 AM | Baseball
MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin looks to make a run at the program's first Ohio Valley Conference Baseball Championship title as the Skyhawks head to Rent One Park in Marion, Ill. The five-day tournament kicks off on Tuesday, May 21 with the championship game scheduled for Saturday, May 25.
No. 8 seed UT Martin is set to take on No. 7 seed Eastern Illinois on Tuesday at 6 p.m. The contest serves as a single elimination contest with the winner entering the double-elimination bracket on Wednesday at 4 p.m. against No. 2 seed Austin Peay. The Skyhawks took the regular season series from the Panthers as UT Martin claimed two victories in Charleston, Ill. back on April 26-28.
The Skyhawks enter the tournament field with a 24-29 overall record after posting a 12-18 mark in OVC play. This sets the stage for head coach Ryan Jenkins' first time in the tournament as he was named interim head coach last season before being tabbed as the program's fulltime skipper during the 2018 campaign. This year's team is just one win away from tying the school's Division I single-season victory mark of 25 games (set in 2017).
Leading the Skyhawks at the plate by the tandem of Jordan Stoner and Casey Harford. A senior outfielder from Puyallup, Wash., Stoner paces all UT Martin batters in average (.333), total hits (69), doubles (17), on base percentage (.410), times hit by pitch (17) and slugging percentage (.469). A sophomore middle infielder out of Cordova, Tenn., Harford sports a .316 batting clip to go along with 11 two-baggers, five home runs and a squad-best 43 RBIs. The trio of senior Creighton Eldridge and sophomores Blake Davis and Ethan Whitley have all belted a team-high nine long balls on the season.
On the mound, Austen Bullington, Winston Cannon and Sam Folks have comprised the UT Martin starting rotation. They are coming off the first three consecutive quality starts in one weekend since Dan Tobik, Danny Kelley and Alex Boshers did so on March 18-20, 2011. A senior righty out of Newburgh, Ind., Bullington (4-8, 4.35 ERA) has tossed 78.2 innings on the season (eighth-most in the OVC) and fanned 48 along the way. A junior southpaw from Franklin, Tenn., Folks (5-6, 4.63 ERA) has logged 83.2 innings (fifth-highest across the league) and sat down 43 in the process while having allowed just 16 extra-base hits on the year. A junior right-hander hailing from Cookeville, Tenn., Cannon (6-8, 5.25 ERA) has clocked in for 73.2 frames pitched on the year while having rung up 75 batters (ninth-most in the conference) during his time on the bump.
The Skyhawk bullpen has been led by the dynamic duo of Zach Denney and Nick Wohlbold. A senior righty from Russellville, Ky., Denney (2-1, 2.54 ERA) has fanned 35 batters in 28.1 innings pitched on the season while also having recorded three saves. A sophomore right-handed pitcher out of Columbia, Mo., Wohlbold (0-2, 3.09 ERA) has made waves in his first full season out of the pen. He has claimed the title of the program's all-time saves leader as he has notched 12 on the season which ranks first among all OVC pitchers and 13th among all Division-I programs. His dozen saves also rank tied for ninth in the conference for most in a single season.
UT Martin has made the OVC Baseball Championship three times (1996, 2011 and 2017). The 2011 squad went 1-2 in the postseason tournament as they picked up a 6-2 victory against Eastern Kentucky.
No. 8 seed UT Martin is set to take on No. 7 seed Eastern Illinois on Tuesday at 6 p.m. The contest serves as a single elimination contest with the winner entering the double-elimination bracket on Wednesday at 4 p.m. against No. 2 seed Austin Peay. The Skyhawks took the regular season series from the Panthers as UT Martin claimed two victories in Charleston, Ill. back on April 26-28.
The Skyhawks enter the tournament field with a 24-29 overall record after posting a 12-18 mark in OVC play. This sets the stage for head coach Ryan Jenkins' first time in the tournament as he was named interim head coach last season before being tabbed as the program's fulltime skipper during the 2018 campaign. This year's team is just one win away from tying the school's Division I single-season victory mark of 25 games (set in 2017).
Leading the Skyhawks at the plate by the tandem of Jordan Stoner and Casey Harford. A senior outfielder from Puyallup, Wash., Stoner paces all UT Martin batters in average (.333), total hits (69), doubles (17), on base percentage (.410), times hit by pitch (17) and slugging percentage (.469). A sophomore middle infielder out of Cordova, Tenn., Harford sports a .316 batting clip to go along with 11 two-baggers, five home runs and a squad-best 43 RBIs. The trio of senior Creighton Eldridge and sophomores Blake Davis and Ethan Whitley have all belted a team-high nine long balls on the season.
On the mound, Austen Bullington, Winston Cannon and Sam Folks have comprised the UT Martin starting rotation. They are coming off the first three consecutive quality starts in one weekend since Dan Tobik, Danny Kelley and Alex Boshers did so on March 18-20, 2011. A senior righty out of Newburgh, Ind., Bullington (4-8, 4.35 ERA) has tossed 78.2 innings on the season (eighth-most in the OVC) and fanned 48 along the way. A junior southpaw from Franklin, Tenn., Folks (5-6, 4.63 ERA) has logged 83.2 innings (fifth-highest across the league) and sat down 43 in the process while having allowed just 16 extra-base hits on the year. A junior right-hander hailing from Cookeville, Tenn., Cannon (6-8, 5.25 ERA) has clocked in for 73.2 frames pitched on the year while having rung up 75 batters (ninth-most in the conference) during his time on the bump.
The Skyhawk bullpen has been led by the dynamic duo of Zach Denney and Nick Wohlbold. A senior righty from Russellville, Ky., Denney (2-1, 2.54 ERA) has fanned 35 batters in 28.1 innings pitched on the season while also having recorded three saves. A sophomore right-handed pitcher out of Columbia, Mo., Wohlbold (0-2, 3.09 ERA) has made waves in his first full season out of the pen. He has claimed the title of the program's all-time saves leader as he has notched 12 on the season which ranks first among all OVC pitchers and 13th among all Division-I programs. His dozen saves also rank tied for ninth in the conference for most in a single season.
UT Martin has made the OVC Baseball Championship three times (1996, 2011 and 2017). The 2011 squad went 1-2 in the postseason tournament as they picked up a 6-2 victory against Eastern Kentucky.
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballSkyhawk Sports Talk - Season 2, Episode 33
Monday, April 21
Skyhawk Sports Talk - Season 2, Episode 31
Thursday, April 10
Skyhawk Sports Talk - Season 2, Episode 30
Thursday, April 10
Skyhawk Sports Talk - Season 2, Episode 29
Thursday, April 10