PAIR OF ROUND TRIPPERS AND LOCKDOWN BULLPEN LEADS TO SCHOOL RECORD FOR OVC WINS AS SKYHAWK BASEBALL ROLLS TO FIFTH STRAIGHT VICTORY

Saturday, May 13

Martin, Tenn.

5 p.m.

UT Martin

20-31, 13-10

Southeast Missouri

26-25, 14-6

Southeast Missouri

UT Martin

PAIR OF ROUND TRIPPERS AND LOCKDOWN BULLPEN LEADS TO SCHOOL RECORD FOR OVC WINS AS SKYHAWK BASEBALL ROLLS TO FIFTH STRAIGHT VICTORY

5/13/2023 10:24:00 PM | Baseball

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MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin clinched a winning season in Ohio Valley Conference play for the first time ever and also set a program record for OVC wins following a 7-4 triumph over Southeast Missouri at Skyhawk Field.

The victory improved UT Martin to 13-10 in league play, passing the 2019 and 2017 squads for most OVC wins in a single season. It also ensured the Skyhawks (20-31 overall) would wrap up their OVC slate with a league record above .500 as UT Martin has one conference game remaining on the 2023 schedule.

Today's win also marked the Skyhawks' first home series victory over the Redhawks since 2010, when they took two out of three games.

All seven UT Martin runs today scored via a pair of home runs. Jack Culumovic extended the Skyhawks' school record for most grand slams in a season when he cranked the team's seventh bases loaded jack in the bottom of the first. Hunter McLean then broke a 4-4 tie in the bottom of the fourth with a three-run shot and that run support was more than enough for yet another rock-solid pitching performance.

A trio of UT Martin pitchers set a new season-high with 12 strikeouts today. After Tristan Walton fanned eight batters in four innings of work, the bullpen tandem of J. Henry Hobson (2-2, three strikeouts over four shutout innings) and Zach Wager (third save, one strikeout in a scoreless ninth) coasted through the final five innings. In fact, that pair retired 15 of the final 16 Southeast Missouri batters – allowing just a leadoff single in the top of the eighth during that span.

Walton stranded a pair of runners after striking out his second batter of the first inning. Caleb Hobson stroked the first pitch he saw in the bottom half for a double to left center and eventually swiped third base for his 35^th stolen bag of the spring. Following a Will Smith walk and Mac Danford hit by pitch, Culumovic's first swing of the day was a beauty – a towering grand slam over the wall in right field to put the Skyhawks ahead by a 4-0 margin. It marked the third grand slam for Culumovic this season alone as he also accomplished that feat on April 2 against SIUE and April 14 against Southern Indiana.

In the top of the second, Walton left two more Redhawks on base in another scoreless frame. Southeast Missouri (26-25, 14-6 OVC) scored twice in the third inning – one run being unearned – before two more runs crossed the plate in the fourth despite Walton generating all three outs via punchouts.

The Redhawks made a call to their bullpen before the fourth and UT Martin took advantage of the pitching change. Bell and Culumovic each drew walks to start the frame before McLean got every stitch of an 0-1 fastball, depositing the pitch way past the left field wall to make the score 7-4 in favor of the Skyhawks.

J. Henry Hobson entered the contest in the fifth and immediately silenced the Southeast Missouri offense. He retired the first nine batters he faced, needing only a dozen pitches to record his first five outs. At one point, the sophomore righty from Fort Myers, Fla. struck out three consecutive batters as he eventually would fire 31 of his 48 pitches for strikes.

After a scoreless top of the eighth put a dazzling end to J. Henry Hobson's day, Wager was called upon for his second save opportunity in as many days. As has been shown all season long, absolutely nothing fazed the freshman lefty out of Columbus, Ind. as Wager mowed down the top three hitters in the Redhawk lineup in short order – not allowing a ball out of the infield.

UT Martin will go for the series sweep tomorrow as right-hander Eric Steensma (3-3, 5.07 ERA) will oppose Southeast Missouri's lefty Haden Dow (4-2, 4.85). The series finale is set for 1 p.m. while a Senior Day ceremony honoring Skyhawk student-athletes Jordan Armstrong, Grant Crihfield, Culumovic, Warren Lee, Chance Merithew, Colin Millar, Seth Petry, Trey Ricko and Nate Self will take place at approximately 12:30 p.m.