Friday, April 16
Martin, Tenn.
5 p.m.
UT Martin
vs
Austin Peay
Photo by: UT Martin University Relations
UT MARTIN BASEBALL CLOSES OUT WEEKLONG HOMESTAND AGAINST OVC RIVAL AUSTIN PEAY
4/14/2021 5:08:00 PM | Baseball
MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team resumes Ohio Valley Conference play this weekend against Austin Peay, hosting the in-state league rival for a three-game set at Skyhawk Field. The series opener is set for 5 p.m. on Friday, April 16 while a 1 p.m. doubleheader is on tap for Saturday, April 17.
UT Martin (11-17, 4-5 OVC) will look for its second OVC home series win in as many tries as it is playing the first home league series since taking two of three against Belmont on March 11-12.
A pair of Skyhawk juniors have enjoyed success at the plate against the Governors in their careers. Casey Harford, who was just named to the Brooks Wallace Award watch list for the title of top NCAA Division I shortstop, has hit .414 in seven career games against Austin Peay. That includes a .529 clip (9-for-17) with a pair of homers and seven RBI's during the 2019 campaign alone. First baseman Ethan Whitley has also worn out Governor pitching, posting a career slash line of a .393 batting average/.414 on-base percentage/.571 slugging percentage in seven contests.
Wil LaFollette will look to keep up his sizzling stretch at the plate as the freshman right fielder carries a nine-game hitting streak into the weekend. In the last five games alone, the Chelsea, Ala. native has collected a .458 batting average (11-of-24) with multi-hit outings in each of those contests.
Senior right-hander Winston Cannon (4-3, 4.64 ERA) will start Game 1 on the mound for UT Martin for a historical outing. It will be the 50th start of his career, which will pass Michael Blount (1995-98) for the most all-time starts on the mound in school history. Cannon currently ranks second in the OVC with four victories, sixth with 42.2 innings pitched and seventh with 41 strikeouts.
Sam Folks (2-3, 5.72) and Nick Wohlbold (2-2, 3.46), the last two OVC Pitchers of the Week, are also likely to see a good share of innings for the Skyhawks this weekend. Folks ranks in the top-10 in the OVC in called strikeouts (15, second), least walks allowed (eight, third), least home runs allowed (two, fourth) and strikeouts (42, sixth). Since joining the rotation on April 1, Wohlbold has posted a 1.64 ERA while tallying a 14:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio over three starts.
Austin Peay (10-20, 7-8 OVC) took the opening game of its Morehead State series last Thursday but has lost three straight since – including a setback to Ole Miss last night. Garrett Spain ranks ninth in the OVC with a .584 slugging percentage and also leads the Governors in batting average (.307), home runs (seven) and RBI's (25). Redshirt sophomore lefty Harley Gollert ranks fifth in the OVC in opponent batting average (.233) and eighth in strikeouts (40) while Sebastian Martinez (1.54 ERA in nine appearances) and Kyle Nunn (3.00 ERA in a team-best 12 appearances) are top options out of the Governor bullpen.
Fans can follow along with live stats throughout the series at the links above.
UT Martin (11-17, 4-5 OVC) will look for its second OVC home series win in as many tries as it is playing the first home league series since taking two of three against Belmont on March 11-12.
A pair of Skyhawk juniors have enjoyed success at the plate against the Governors in their careers. Casey Harford, who was just named to the Brooks Wallace Award watch list for the title of top NCAA Division I shortstop, has hit .414 in seven career games against Austin Peay. That includes a .529 clip (9-for-17) with a pair of homers and seven RBI's during the 2019 campaign alone. First baseman Ethan Whitley has also worn out Governor pitching, posting a career slash line of a .393 batting average/.414 on-base percentage/.571 slugging percentage in seven contests.
Wil LaFollette will look to keep up his sizzling stretch at the plate as the freshman right fielder carries a nine-game hitting streak into the weekend. In the last five games alone, the Chelsea, Ala. native has collected a .458 batting average (11-of-24) with multi-hit outings in each of those contests.
Senior right-hander Winston Cannon (4-3, 4.64 ERA) will start Game 1 on the mound for UT Martin for a historical outing. It will be the 50th start of his career, which will pass Michael Blount (1995-98) for the most all-time starts on the mound in school history. Cannon currently ranks second in the OVC with four victories, sixth with 42.2 innings pitched and seventh with 41 strikeouts.
Sam Folks (2-3, 5.72) and Nick Wohlbold (2-2, 3.46), the last two OVC Pitchers of the Week, are also likely to see a good share of innings for the Skyhawks this weekend. Folks ranks in the top-10 in the OVC in called strikeouts (15, second), least walks allowed (eight, third), least home runs allowed (two, fourth) and strikeouts (42, sixth). Since joining the rotation on April 1, Wohlbold has posted a 1.64 ERA while tallying a 14:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio over three starts.
Austin Peay (10-20, 7-8 OVC) took the opening game of its Morehead State series last Thursday but has lost three straight since – including a setback to Ole Miss last night. Garrett Spain ranks ninth in the OVC with a .584 slugging percentage and also leads the Governors in batting average (.307), home runs (seven) and RBI's (25). Redshirt sophomore lefty Harley Gollert ranks fifth in the OVC in opponent batting average (.233) and eighth in strikeouts (40) while Sebastian Martinez (1.54 ERA in nine appearances) and Kyle Nunn (3.00 ERA in a team-best 12 appearances) are top options out of the Governor bullpen.
Fans can follow along with live stats throughout the series at the links above.
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