Friday, February 19
Birmingham, Ala.
2 p.m.
UT Martin
at
Samford
Photo by: UT Martin Sports Information
SKYHAWKS BEGIN 2021 BASEBALL SEASON THIS WEEKEND WITH THREE-GAME SET AT SAMFORD
2/17/2021 1:03:00 PM | Baseball
MARTIN, Tenn. – For the first time in 340 days, the University of Tennessee at Martin baseball squad will take the diamond in an official capacity as the Skyhawks travel to Samford for a three-game series this weekend. Start times are 2 p.m. on Friday, Feb, 19, 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 20 and 1 p.m. for the finale on Sunday, Feb. 21.
This marks the second consecutive season that UT Martin begins its season in Birmingham, Ala. as the Skyhawks took on Saint Louis in a neutral-site series to start the 2020 campaign. This will also be the second nonconference series against the Bulldogs in the last three seasons as UT Martin paid a visit to its former Ohio Valley Conference rival on April 5-7, 2019.
A total of 10 Skyhawk student-athletes will be making a trip to their home state, including Birmingham native Boston Smith. UT Martin head coach Ryan Jenkins (Millbrook), assistant coach/recruiting coordinator Hunter Morris (Huntsville) and strength coach Dawson Moncrief (Prattville) also hail from the Yellowhammer State.
The Skyhawks return four regulars who hit .300 or better last season, including Ethan Whitley (.385), Christian Hall (.368), Sean Dixson (.339) and Houston Wright (.308). Whitley and returning starters Casey Harford and Blake Davis all went deep in the 2019 series at Samford. Wil LaFollette (three homers, 13 RBI's) and Jack Culumovic (team-high 13 runs scored in 2020) are also back for UT Martin.
Jenkins will lean on a pair of seniors to make the first two starts of the season as righty Winston Cannon gets the Opening Day nod and will be followed by left-hander Sam Folks on Saturday. Sunday's starter is yet to be determined. Cannon was dominant in his start at Samford in 2019, tossing seven shutout innings with a career-best nine strikeouts on his way to a win. Folks also has experience in Joe Lee Griffin Field as he threw 5.2 innings there in the 2019 series. They will look to hand over a lead to a bullpen that is led by Nick Wohlbold (15 career saves) and David Hussey (team-best 3.18 ERA in seven relief appearances last spring).
The Bulldogs are coming off a 13-2 record during the shortened 2020 campaign under 17th-year head coach Casey Dunn. Samford was selected as the Southern Conference preseason favorite while second baseman Brooks Carlson was picked as the SoCon Preseason Player of the Year.
Carlson hit an even .500 with 19 RBI's and a .760 slugging percentage last season while the Samford offense also features Preseason All-SoCon first baseman Sonny DiChiara (.328 batting average, 21 RBI's), catcher Kaden Dreier (15 RBI's), outfielder Ayrton Schafer (.315 batting average) and designated hitter Tyler McManus (.440 batting average, team-high four homers).
Junior southpaw Samuel Strickland (3-0, 1.17 ERA in 2020) is projected to start for the Bulldogs on Friday and will be followed by redshirt junior righty Jesse McCord (10 career victories) and senior right-hander Zach Hester (2019 SoCon Pitcher of the Year) in Games 2 and 3, respectively. Both Strickland and Hester garnered Preseason All-SoCon accolades while closer Carson Cupo (1-0, three saves) also returns to bolster the Samford bullpen.
All three games will be streamed live on ESPN+. Those links, as well as a link for live stats, are located at the top of the webpage.
This marks the second consecutive season that UT Martin begins its season in Birmingham, Ala. as the Skyhawks took on Saint Louis in a neutral-site series to start the 2020 campaign. This will also be the second nonconference series against the Bulldogs in the last three seasons as UT Martin paid a visit to its former Ohio Valley Conference rival on April 5-7, 2019.
A total of 10 Skyhawk student-athletes will be making a trip to their home state, including Birmingham native Boston Smith. UT Martin head coach Ryan Jenkins (Millbrook), assistant coach/recruiting coordinator Hunter Morris (Huntsville) and strength coach Dawson Moncrief (Prattville) also hail from the Yellowhammer State.
The Skyhawks return four regulars who hit .300 or better last season, including Ethan Whitley (.385), Christian Hall (.368), Sean Dixson (.339) and Houston Wright (.308). Whitley and returning starters Casey Harford and Blake Davis all went deep in the 2019 series at Samford. Wil LaFollette (three homers, 13 RBI's) and Jack Culumovic (team-high 13 runs scored in 2020) are also back for UT Martin.
Jenkins will lean on a pair of seniors to make the first two starts of the season as righty Winston Cannon gets the Opening Day nod and will be followed by left-hander Sam Folks on Saturday. Sunday's starter is yet to be determined. Cannon was dominant in his start at Samford in 2019, tossing seven shutout innings with a career-best nine strikeouts on his way to a win. Folks also has experience in Joe Lee Griffin Field as he threw 5.2 innings there in the 2019 series. They will look to hand over a lead to a bullpen that is led by Nick Wohlbold (15 career saves) and David Hussey (team-best 3.18 ERA in seven relief appearances last spring).
The Bulldogs are coming off a 13-2 record during the shortened 2020 campaign under 17th-year head coach Casey Dunn. Samford was selected as the Southern Conference preseason favorite while second baseman Brooks Carlson was picked as the SoCon Preseason Player of the Year.
Carlson hit an even .500 with 19 RBI's and a .760 slugging percentage last season while the Samford offense also features Preseason All-SoCon first baseman Sonny DiChiara (.328 batting average, 21 RBI's), catcher Kaden Dreier (15 RBI's), outfielder Ayrton Schafer (.315 batting average) and designated hitter Tyler McManus (.440 batting average, team-high four homers).
Junior southpaw Samuel Strickland (3-0, 1.17 ERA in 2020) is projected to start for the Bulldogs on Friday and will be followed by redshirt junior righty Jesse McCord (10 career victories) and senior right-hander Zach Hester (2019 SoCon Pitcher of the Year) in Games 2 and 3, respectively. Both Strickland and Hester garnered Preseason All-SoCon accolades while closer Carson Cupo (1-0, three saves) also returns to bolster the Samford bullpen.
All three games will be streamed live on ESPN+. Those links, as well as a link for live stats, are located at the top of the webpage.
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