UT MARTIN BASEBALL WINS FOURTH STRAIGHT OVC HOME SERIES WITH 8-5 VICTORY OVER MOREHEAD STATE

Sunday, April 30

Martin, Tenn.

1 p.m.

UT Martin

15-30, 9-9

Morehead State

26-16, 10-5

Morehead State

UT Martin

UT MARTIN BASEBALL WINS FOURTH STRAIGHT OVC HOME SERIES WITH 8-5 VICTORY OVER MOREHEAD STATE

4/30/2023 6:44:00 PM | Baseball

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MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball squad continued its home success in Ohio Valley Conference play this afternoon, defeating Morehead State by an 8-5 margin at Skyhawk Field.

Today's result marks four OVC home series wins in four tries as UT Martin (15-30, 9-9 OVC) has now taken two out of three games over Eastern Illinois, SIUE, Southern Indiana and Morehead State in front of the home crowd.

The Skyhawks led 5-1 early and staged a late rally after the Eagles (26-16, 10-5 OVC) tied the contest in the top of the seventh.

Eric Steensma managed his best start of the season today, not allowing an earned run while tying a season-high with six innings pitched. The redshirt junior right-hander from Western Springs, Ill. also equaled a career-high with six strikeouts while scattering five hits.

Zach Wager (2-1) was credited with his second win of the weekend as the freshman lefty did not allow a baserunner over the final two innings.

Offensively, Caleb Hobson went 2-for-4 with a career-best four RBI's – smashing a big two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to provide some insurance. Jack Culumovic and Mac Danford (two hits) each drove in a pair of runs while Hunter McLean and Zac Rice both had two hits with two runs scored.

The Eagles got on the scoreboard early as an unearned run crossed the plate in the top of the first. UT Martin used some two-out magic in the bottom half, scoring three runs on four hits after the first two batters were retired. Will Smith and McLean each singled to start the rally before Culumovic lifted a two-run double down the left field line to give the Skyhawks the lead. Danford followed with an RBI single up the middle, plating Culumovic.

Morehead State was held scoreless in the top of the second thanks to a heads up play from Danford at third base. After a one-out triple, Danford snagged a one-hopper and caught the Eagle baserunner trying to score, firing home before catcher Slade Taylor delivered a perfect strike back to the bag to nab him.

Taylor led off the bottom of the second with a four-pitch walk and moved up to third on a double from Rice. Both Skyhawks came into score on the next batter as Hobson lined a two-run single the opposite way, pushing UT Martin's lead out to 5-1.

The Skyhawk defense came up with another big play in the top of the third. After one unearned run already crossed the plate, Morehead State threatened to close the gap even more but Rice perfectly hit the cutoff man Blaze Bell, who spun and fired a relay throw to home to cut down another runner trying to score.

Steensma did not concede a hit or a walk over the next two frames, needing just eight pitches to retire the heart of the Eagle order in the top of the fifth. He then put the finishing touches on his day with back-to-back strikeouts to cap off another shutout frame in the sixth.

Morehead State tied the score with three runs (one unearned) in the top of the seventh but UT Martin was unfazed. McLean singled and stole second base with two away in the bottom of the inning, setting up Danford for an RBI single up the middle to nudge the Skyhawks back ahead by a 6-5 margin.

Wager came on in the eighth and quickly silenced the Eagle bats, retiring the side on nine pitches. He didn't end up needing it but Hobson's big fly in the bottom of the eighth gave Wager some breathing room in the ninth but the Columbus, Ind. native calmly induced a pair of flyouts and a game-ending groundout against the first three hitters in the Morehead State lineup.

UT Martin will focus on final examinations this week before returning to action with a three-game series at OVC newcomer Lindenwood on May 5-7.