LATE KENT STATE RALLY COSTS SKYHAWK BASEBALL IN 9-6 EXTRA-INNINGS SETBACK

Sunday, March 5

Martin, Tenn.

1 p.m.

UT Martin

3-9

Kent State

7-4

Kent State

UT Martin

LATE KENT STATE RALLY COSTS SKYHAWK BASEBALL IN 9-6 EXTRA-INNINGS SETBACK

3/5/2023 7:06:00 PM | Baseball

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MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball squad led for a majority of today's contest against Kent State but the Golden Flashes scored six runs in their final three innings on the way to a 9-6 Skyhawk setback in 10 innings.

Jack Culumovic blasted a game-tying two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to send the game into extra innings. However, Kent State (7-4) scored three runs in the top of the 10^th and made that lead stand in the bottom half.

Batting out of the leadoff slot, Caleb Hobson went 3-for-5 with an RBI, a run scored and three stolen bases today – finishing just a home run shy of hitting for the cycle. Culumovic's round tripper was his first of the 2023 campaign as his final stat line was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI's. Andrew Fernandez went 2-for-4 with two RBI's while Zac Rice also collected two hits and scored two runs for UT Martin, who falls to 3-9 overall.

Seth Petry delivered another good start for the Skyhawks, allowing three runs on just three hits while fanning four batters over 5.2 innings. Colin Millar (one run in 1.1 innings) and Campbell Cleveland (two unearned runs allowed in two frames) followed before Tucker Reed (0-2) managed three strikeouts in the top of the 10^th inning.

Gallery: (3-5-2023) Baseball vs Kent State

Petry cruised through the first inning, retiring the side in order on nine pitches. Hobson ripped the sixth pitch he saw for a triple down the first base line and four pitches later, he came home to score on a Fernandez sacrifice fly to give UT Marin a 1-0 edge.

After the Golden Flashes tied the game with a run in the top of the second, Petry rolled to the tune of two strikeouts in the third – helping the Skyhawks reclaim the lead in the bottom half.

Rice jumped on the first pitch he saw of the afternoon for a double out to deep center, soon coming around to score on a Hobson RBI single through the right side to put UT Martin back on top by a 2-1 margin.

Kent State scored on a sacrifice fly in the fourth before Petry put up another zero on the scoreboard in the fifth.

The Skyhawks went back ahead in the bottom of the fifth as Rice was issued an eight-pitch walk and advanced to third on a Hobson double that landed just inside the right field line. Fernandez then came through with an RBI single to tilt the score back in favor of UT Martin at 3-2.

Petry departed the game in the top of the sixth in line for the win but the Golden Flashes tied the score with two outs in the inning.

Culumovic pulled a triple down the right field line to lead off the sixth and later crossed the plate on a wild pitch, allowing the Skyhawks to take a 4-3 advantage.

Millar was responsible for a scoreless seventh but once again, Kent State used a sacrifice fly to knot the score at 4-4 following eight innings of play.

After the Golden Flashes scored two unearned runs with two away in the top of the ninth, UT Martin evened the score with Culumovic's clutch homer. Will Smith was hit by a pitch with one out before Culumovic launched a two-run blast beyond the wall in right field, tying the game at 6-all.

However, Kent State scored three runs in the top of the 10^th and the Skyhawks could not recover. UT Martin brought the tying run to the dish but both runners were stranded, leaving the Skyhawks with seven men left on base over the final four innings.

UT Martin rounds out an eight-game homestand with a pair of midweek contests against Toledo. The Skyhawks will host the Rockets on Tuesday, March 7 and Wednesday, March 8 with both games slated to begin at 3 p.m.