SKYHAWK BASEBALL WELCOMES IN NORTHERN KENTUCKY FOR OPENING WEEKEND; GAME 1 MOVED UP TO 1 P.M.

Friday, February 16

Martin, Tenn.

1 p.m.

UT Martin

Northern Kentucky

Photo by: UT Martin Sports Information

SKYHAWK BASEBALL WELCOMES IN NORTHERN KENTUCKY FOR OPENING WEEKEND; GAME 1 MOVED UP TO 1 P.M.

2/15/2024 11:08:00 AM | Baseball

Live Stats: Game 1 Live Stats: Game 2 Live Stats: Game 3

MARTIN, Tenn.- Opening weekend is finally here for the University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team as it plays host to first-time opponent Northern Kentucky to begin the 2024 campaign. The series opener takes place Friday, Feb. 16 at 1 p.m. with Game 2 slated for Saturday, Feb. 17 at 3 p.m. The finale is set for Sunday, Feb. 18 with first pitch at 1 p.m.

Friday begins a seven-game homestand, which is the most games the Skyhawks have played at home to open a season in the school's NCAA Division I history. In total, UT Martin has 28 home games on the schedule (the most since 2016).

Preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference players Andrew Fernandez, Blaze Bell and Mac Danford are expected to make their season debut for a UT Martin team that is looking to build on a tremendous 2023 campaign.

Fernandez was an All-OVC first teamer a year ago who tallied 80 hits, 21 doubles and 53 RBI's while Bell made 53 starts last season at first base and drilled 18 doubles with three triples. The right-handed slugger Danford belted a team-high 10 home runs in 2023 and put together a 1.001 OPS.

Junior southpaw Tristan Walton is slated to take the mound on Opening Day after totaling a team-high 73 strikeouts in his first season as a Skyhawk. Newcomer Jeb Bartle is projected to start in Game 2 as the Snead State Community College transfer went 15-3 with a 4.67 ERA over 27 appearances in his first two seasons. Sunday's starter is to be announced.

Hailing from Highland Heights, Ky., Northern Kentucky is coming off a remarkable season that saw the Norse notch 30 wins, an NCAA Division I program record. Finishing third in the Horizon League, head coach Dizzy Peyton returns all-league players John Odom (.965 fielding percentage and 25 RBIs in 2023), Colton Kucera (.387 batting average), Clay Brock (5-4 record, 3.94 ERA), Liam McFadden-Ackman (16 homeruns, 66 RBI's), Treyvin Moss (23 stolen bases) and Kaden Echeman (5-3 record with 78 strikeouts).

Live stats will be available for all three games via the links above.