Saturday, February 25
Martin, Tenn.
3 p.m.
UT Martin
3-5
4
vs
5
Valparaiso
3-2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
R
H
E
Valparaiso
0
1
0
0
1
0
1
0
1
1
5
12
0
UT Martin
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
2
0
0
4
9
1
SKYHAWK BASEBALL FALLS IN HEARTBREAKING FASHION, 5-4 IN EXTRA INNINGS TO VALPARAISO
2/25/2023 10:03:00 PM | Baseball
MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball squad was a mere one strike away from evening up its home-opening series against Valparaiso but the Beacons rallied to tie the game in the ninth and go ahead in the 10th in a 5-4 Skyhawk setback.
The top of the ninth was set up by a dramatic rally of UT Martin's own as the Skyhawks erased a 3-1 deficit after six innings to carry a 4-3 lead into the top of the ninth. UT Martin placed runners on the basepaths in both the bottom half of the ninth and 10th innings but could not win or extend the contest.
Will Smith and Mac Danford each had multi-hit efforts and drove in a run for the Skyhawks (3-5) while Blaze Bell reached base safely three times (double, two walks) and scored a pair of runs. Batting out of the 2-hole in the lineup, Caleb Hobson swiped three stolen bases today – just one shy of the school's all-time record set in 1986 and the most since Josh Hauser stole three bases against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Feb. 25, 2017.
On the mound, starter Jordan Armstrong allowed only two runs with one walk over six innings but did not factor into the decision. J. Henry Hobson and Colin Millar did not allow an earned run over one-inning appearances.
Gallery: (2-25-2023) Baseball vs Valpo
It was a pitcher's duel for most of the game as Armstrong matched up against reining Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week Connor Lockwood. The Beacons got on the scoreboard first with one run in the second but Armstrong did a masterful job of pitching out of a bases loaded jam to limit the damage at one run.
Armstrong received some help from his defense soon thereafter as UT Martin freshman Jackson Cooke nabbed a runner trying to steal second base in the third inning before the Skyhawks turned a key 5-4-3 double play in the fourth.
UT Martin evened things up at 1-all in the bottom of the fourth. Hobson singled to lead off the frame and stole second. Two batters later, Jack Culumovic singled to center to easily plate Hobson.
Valparaiso scored once in the fifth but Armstrong thwarted a potentially dangerous situation in the sixth. The Beacons led off the inning with back-to-back singles but the righty from McDonough, Ga. kept Valparaiso scoreless in his final frame of work.
After the Beacons pushed across an unearned run in the seventh, the Skyhawks got one back in the bottom half. Bell, Cooke and Danford each drew walks and following a Valparaiso pitching change, Alec Beaman jumped on the first pitch he saw for an RBI single to trim UT Martin's deficit to 3-2.
Millar silenced the Beacon bats in the top of the eighth, dialing up a pair of strikeouts and a groundout on only 12 pitches. That set the stage for a big bottom half for the Skyhawk offense.
After two quick outs, Bell ripped a double down the left field line and sprinted home on a Smith RBI single. Slade Taylor then followed with a single to force yet another Valparaiso pitching change. With the score knotted at 3-all, Danford clubbed an opposite-field single to score Smith and send the UT Martin dugout into a frenzy after taking its first lead of the day.
Campbell Cleveland (0-1) then came in and had a 1-2 count on the potential third out of the inning before a Beacon single drove in the game-tying run.
The speedy Hobson nearly gave the Skyhawks a walk-off win in the bottom half. He was issued a five-pitch walk and promptly stole both second and third bases, putting the potential winning run 90 feet away with one out. However, UT Martin could not produce a run and the contest proceeded into extra innings.
Valparaiso came up with yet another two-out RBI in the top of the 10th. The Skyhawks placed the tying run on base in the bottom half as Taylor was hit by a pitch and replaced by pinch runner Hunter McLean. Unfortunately, the Beacons were able to escape with no damage to claim the win.
The third and final game of the series is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 26 at 1 p.m.
The top of the ninth was set up by a dramatic rally of UT Martin's own as the Skyhawks erased a 3-1 deficit after six innings to carry a 4-3 lead into the top of the ninth. UT Martin placed runners on the basepaths in both the bottom half of the ninth and 10th innings but could not win or extend the contest.
Will Smith and Mac Danford each had multi-hit efforts and drove in a run for the Skyhawks (3-5) while Blaze Bell reached base safely three times (double, two walks) and scored a pair of runs. Batting out of the 2-hole in the lineup, Caleb Hobson swiped three stolen bases today – just one shy of the school's all-time record set in 1986 and the most since Josh Hauser stole three bases against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Feb. 25, 2017.
On the mound, starter Jordan Armstrong allowed only two runs with one walk over six innings but did not factor into the decision. J. Henry Hobson and Colin Millar did not allow an earned run over one-inning appearances.
It was a pitcher's duel for most of the game as Armstrong matched up against reining Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week Connor Lockwood. The Beacons got on the scoreboard first with one run in the second but Armstrong did a masterful job of pitching out of a bases loaded jam to limit the damage at one run.
Armstrong received some help from his defense soon thereafter as UT Martin freshman Jackson Cooke nabbed a runner trying to steal second base in the third inning before the Skyhawks turned a key 5-4-3 double play in the fourth.
UT Martin evened things up at 1-all in the bottom of the fourth. Hobson singled to lead off the frame and stole second. Two batters later, Jack Culumovic singled to center to easily plate Hobson.
Valparaiso scored once in the fifth but Armstrong thwarted a potentially dangerous situation in the sixth. The Beacons led off the inning with back-to-back singles but the righty from McDonough, Ga. kept Valparaiso scoreless in his final frame of work.
After the Beacons pushed across an unearned run in the seventh, the Skyhawks got one back in the bottom half. Bell, Cooke and Danford each drew walks and following a Valparaiso pitching change, Alec Beaman jumped on the first pitch he saw for an RBI single to trim UT Martin's deficit to 3-2.
Millar silenced the Beacon bats in the top of the eighth, dialing up a pair of strikeouts and a groundout on only 12 pitches. That set the stage for a big bottom half for the Skyhawk offense.
After two quick outs, Bell ripped a double down the left field line and sprinted home on a Smith RBI single. Slade Taylor then followed with a single to force yet another Valparaiso pitching change. With the score knotted at 3-all, Danford clubbed an opposite-field single to score Smith and send the UT Martin dugout into a frenzy after taking its first lead of the day.
Campbell Cleveland (0-1) then came in and had a 1-2 count on the potential third out of the inning before a Beacon single drove in the game-tying run.
The speedy Hobson nearly gave the Skyhawks a walk-off win in the bottom half. He was issued a five-pitch walk and promptly stole both second and third bases, putting the potential winning run 90 feet away with one out. However, UT Martin could not produce a run and the contest proceeded into extra innings.
Valparaiso came up with yet another two-out RBI in the top of the 10th. The Skyhawks placed the tying run on base in the bottom half as Taylor was hit by a pitch and replaced by pinch runner Hunter McLean. Unfortunately, the Beacons were able to escape with no damage to claim the win.
The third and final game of the series is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 26 at 1 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Nowak, Bobby (1-0)
L: Cleveland, Campbell (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Thurston, Alex 1
HR: Tucker, Nolan 1
RBI: Tucker, Nolan 2 ; Reinertson, Kade 1 ; Ryan, Alex 1
SH: Thurston, Alex 1 ; Ryan, Alex 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hannahs, Kaleb 1 ; Tucker, Nolan 1 ; Warfield, Spencer 1 ; Maka, Ryan 1 ; Reinertson, Kade 1
SB: Maka, Ryan 1
CS: Schmack, Kyle 1
HBP: Reinertson, Kade 2 ; Ryan, Alex 1
Batting:
2B: Bell, Blaze 1
RBI: Culumovic, Jack 1 ; Smith, Will 1 ; Danford, Mac 1 ; Beaman, Alec 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hobson, Caleb 1 ; Bell, Blaze 2 ; Smith, Will 1
SB: Hobson, Caleb 3
HBP: Taylor, Slade 1 ; Beaman, Alec 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
5
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
RHP
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IF
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RHP
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UTIL
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LHP
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