PITCHING DUO SHINES BUT UT MARTIN BASEBALL COMES UP JUST SHORT IN SAMFORD SERIES FINALE, 1-0

Sunday, March 19

Birmingham, Ala.

1 p.m.

UT Martin

5-16

Samford

10-10

UT Martin

Samford

PITCHING DUO SHINES BUT UT MARTIN BASEBALL COMES UP JUST SHORT IN SAMFORD SERIES FINALE, 1-0

3/19/2023 5:16:00 PM | Baseball

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A pair of University of Tennessee at Martin pitchers stood out today while the Skyhawk offense doubled up Samford in the hit column but the host Bulldogs eked out a 1-0 win in a nonconference baseball contest.

Tristan Walton (1-3) made the start today, receiving a tough-luck loss after allowing one run over three innings. Eric Steensma tossed the final five innings and did not concede a run. Overall, Samford could only muster seven baserunners for the entire contest (five hits, one walk, one hit by pitch) as UT Martin held its opponent to a season-low tally in runs scored.

Offensively, a trio of Skyhawks accounted for multi-hit days – paced by Andrew Fernandez's three base knocks. Jonah Wichman and Hunter McLean additionally added two hits as UT Martin (5-16) combined for 10 hits but left 11 runners on base.

The Skyhawks saw two runners reach base (Fernandez on an error, Blaze Bell on a walk) in the top of the first but could not get on the scoreboard.

Walton did a great job of working out of trouble in the bottom of the first. After an error, passed ball and a walk placed a pair of runners on the basepaths with one out, the lefty recorded a strikeout and flyout on only six pitches.

Wichman and McLean led off the second with back-to-back singles to put men on the corners but the Bulldogs (10-10) were able to get out of the jam unscathed.

Walton pitched around a leadoff double in the bottom of the second to keep the game scoreless through two frames.

UT Martin had a good scoring opportunity in the third as Fernandez, Will Smith and Bell each singled with one away to load the bases. However, Samford was able to turn an inning-ending double play.

The Bulldogs scored the game's lone run on a sacrifice fly in the third inning as Walton's day ended with a big strikeout to strand a runner on third base.

McLean (hit by pitch) and Mac Danford (single) were both in scoring position in the fourth but the Skyhawks could not manufacture a run.

Steensma took over in the fourth and promptly retired the side in order. He followed that by stranding a runner on third in the fifth before quickly generating a 1-2-3 inning on just five pitches in the bottom of the sixth. The redshirt junior righty from Western Springs, Ill. mowed through the Samford lineup in the seventh, piling up a pair of strikeouts.

In the top of the eighth, Fernandez led things off with a single before Bell was issued a walk to put two runners aboard the basepaths with one out. However, the Bulldog defense got out of trouble with another double play.

After Steensma blanked the Samford offense for the fifth straight inning in the eighth, UT Martin fought for another good scoring chance in its final turn at the plate. McLean singled before pinch hitter Jack Culumovic drew a walk. Caleb Hobson was then hit by a pitch to load the bases but the Bulldogs once again somehow escaped to hold on for the win.

The Skyhawks head back home for a midweek outing this Tuesday, March 21 as they host Alabama A&M for a 4 p.m. matchup.