Saturday, March 4
Martin, Tenn.
3 p.m.
UT Martin
vs
Kent State
Photo by: UT Martin University Relations
SKYHAWK BASEBALL RESUMES LENGTHY HOMESTAND THIS WEEKEND AGAINST KENT STATE
3/2/2023 4:18:00 PM | Baseball
MARTIN, Tenn. – The season-long eight-game homestand continues for the University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team this weekend as the Skyhawks play the Kent State Golden Flashes for the first time ever. Weather permitting, first pitch times for the series are scheduled for 5 p.m. on Friday, March 3; 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 4 and 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 5.
In five games last week, UT Martin saw Blaze Bell hit .375 (6-of-16) with three doubles while Will Smith also hit an even .300. Zac Rice and Jack Culumovic led the Skyhawks with three RBI's apiece while Caleb Hobson was a perfect 6-for-6 in stolen base opportunities and scored a team-best five runs.
On the hill, four different UT Martin relievers (Baylor Jones, Colin Millar, Smith, Eli Martin) did not allow an earned run last week – combining for an 0.00 ERA over six innings of work. J. Henry Hobson (1-0, 1.29 ERA) also excelled as a starter at Murray State and in a setup role in the middle game of the Valparaiso series.
During the early portion of the 2023 campaign, the Skyhawks (3-9) rank second in the OVC in both doubles (14) and stolen bases (12). Andrew Fernandez's four doubles rank atop the conference while Caleb Hobson's eight stolen bases also top the league.
UT Martin's probable starting rotation is the same as last week as junior southpaw Tristan Walton (1-1, 5.73 ERA) will get the call on Friday and be followed by senior right-hander Jordan Armstrong (1-0, 3.27) and senior righty Seth Petry (0-1, 4.91) in Game 2 and Game 3, respectively. That trio is each tied for fifth in the league in innings pitched (11.0) while Petry (11, fourth) and Armstrong (10, fifth) also rank in the top-five in the OVC in strikeouts.
Picked third in the Mid-American Conference preseason poll, Kent State (4-4) enters the series after a midweek road sweep at Murray State, winning 6-4 on Tuesday and 4-3 on Wednesday. The Golden Flashes have three regulars who are hitting above .300, led by Bobby Bragan National Collegiate Slugger Award Watch List nominee Aidan Longwell (team-highs of .400 batting average, .475 on-base percentage and 12 RBI's). Jake Casey has also hit four home runs and scored a team-best 12 runs in eight games, slugging a team-high .778 in the process.
Kent State is expected to throw three lefties in the series, starting with redshirt senior Ben Cruikshank (0-0, 4.35) in Game 1, junior Joe Whitman (0-1, 1.69) in Game 2 and sophomore Eric Chalus (1-0, 3.60) in the series finale. Whitman collected MAC Pitcher of the Week honors on Feb. 20 after fanning 11 batters over five scoreless innings at Jacksonville. Mitchell Scott (1-0, one save) is the Golden Flashes' best arm out of the bullpen as the transfer from California has not allowed a run over five appearances so far in 2023.
The first two games of this series will be streamed live on ESPN+. Those links, plus links to live stats for all three contests of the series, can be found above.
In five games last week, UT Martin saw Blaze Bell hit .375 (6-of-16) with three doubles while Will Smith also hit an even .300. Zac Rice and Jack Culumovic led the Skyhawks with three RBI's apiece while Caleb Hobson was a perfect 6-for-6 in stolen base opportunities and scored a team-best five runs.
On the hill, four different UT Martin relievers (Baylor Jones, Colin Millar, Smith, Eli Martin) did not allow an earned run last week – combining for an 0.00 ERA over six innings of work. J. Henry Hobson (1-0, 1.29 ERA) also excelled as a starter at Murray State and in a setup role in the middle game of the Valparaiso series.
During the early portion of the 2023 campaign, the Skyhawks (3-9) rank second in the OVC in both doubles (14) and stolen bases (12). Andrew Fernandez's four doubles rank atop the conference while Caleb Hobson's eight stolen bases also top the league.
UT Martin's probable starting rotation is the same as last week as junior southpaw Tristan Walton (1-1, 5.73 ERA) will get the call on Friday and be followed by senior right-hander Jordan Armstrong (1-0, 3.27) and senior righty Seth Petry (0-1, 4.91) in Game 2 and Game 3, respectively. That trio is each tied for fifth in the league in innings pitched (11.0) while Petry (11, fourth) and Armstrong (10, fifth) also rank in the top-five in the OVC in strikeouts.
Picked third in the Mid-American Conference preseason poll, Kent State (4-4) enters the series after a midweek road sweep at Murray State, winning 6-4 on Tuesday and 4-3 on Wednesday. The Golden Flashes have three regulars who are hitting above .300, led by Bobby Bragan National Collegiate Slugger Award Watch List nominee Aidan Longwell (team-highs of .400 batting average, .475 on-base percentage and 12 RBI's). Jake Casey has also hit four home runs and scored a team-best 12 runs in eight games, slugging a team-high .778 in the process.
Kent State is expected to throw three lefties in the series, starting with redshirt senior Ben Cruikshank (0-0, 4.35) in Game 1, junior Joe Whitman (0-1, 1.69) in Game 2 and sophomore Eric Chalus (1-0, 3.60) in the series finale. Whitman collected MAC Pitcher of the Week honors on Feb. 20 after fanning 11 batters over five scoreless innings at Jacksonville. Mitchell Scott (1-0, one save) is the Golden Flashes' best arm out of the bullpen as the transfer from California has not allowed a run over five appearances so far in 2023.
The first two games of this series will be streamed live on ESPN+. Those links, plus links to live stats for all three contests of the series, can be found above.
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