UTM TALLIES NINE HITS, BUT DROPS GAME 2 TO LIONS IN FLORENCE

Saturday, March 5

Florence, Ala.

2 p.m.

UT Martin

4-5

North Alabama

3-5

UT Martin

North Alabama

UTM TALLIES NINE HITS, BUT DROPS GAME 2 TO LIONS IN FLORENCE

3/5/2022 6:32:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score PDF BOX SCORE

FLORENCE, Ala. – Four combined hits, three total RBI, and a two-run homer in the top of the 8^th from the combination of Ethan Whitley and Alec Beaman weren't enough for the University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team's comeback attempts versus North Alabama on the road Saturday afternoon, unable to withstand a 6-0 UNA burst midway through the contest that ultimately led to a 7-3 decision to even up the three-game series at one win apiece.

Less than 24 hours after a solid performance in the opener – a featurette of 12 runs on 11 hits for a nine-run victory – the Skyhawks found a bit more difficulty bringing players around the base pads in part two, taking the loss despite a 9-7 edge in the hitting department. Designated hitter Jack Culumovic and first-time starting catcher Chance Merithew added two more doubles to try and help UTM's cause to no avail.

Sophomore lefty Lawson Russell gained the starting job for the third straight weekend Game 2, throwing the first three frames before a host of relief from Noah Walters, Tucker Reed, Eli Martin, and Warren Lee. The second-year hurler from Decatur, Ala. Only surrendered a single hit to the Lions on two earned runs and three K's.

Breaking out for a 3/4 batting effort yesterday as a major component of the Skyhawks' order, Beaman again showed out at the shortstop spot with two more connections and the game's first RBI, occurring in the top of the 2^nd with a base-hit that drove in second-baseman Hunter McLean.

Never trailing at any point against North Alabama in the first outing of the weekend, UT Martin then found themselves in that unfamiliar position later that same inning, giving up the first two of what ended up being six straight scores that put the game in jeopardy.

Breathing new life into the order with his second home run of the young season in the 8^th, Whitley's shot past the wall swiftly trimmed a four-run hole in half at 6-3 by also scoring pinch-runner Tanner Park with just a single out recorded. UTM has notched 11 long-balls in nine outings thus far on the year.

Unfortunately for the visitors, two of the next three batters went down swinging to retire the order, ending the Skyhawks' hopes for a late rally with another North Alabama run added shortly thereafter to put a button on the four-run result.

While hitting wasn't necessarily the problem for UT Martin on Saturday, leaving runners stranded turned out to be an itch more often left unattended, as the Skyhawks stranded 10 players throughout the midway series defeat.

Pitching seven innings to grab the win for UNA, Will Haberstock mirrored Rhett Fetner from Friday's duel that sends both teams into Sunday's finale vying for the tie-breaking push. First pitch in Florence tomorrow at the close of the weekend is scheduled for 12:00 noon in the last of UT Martin's seven-game road swing across the state of Alabama.