UT MARTIN BASEBALL WINS PITCHERS’ DUEL OVER OVC RIVAL LINDENWOOD, 3-2

Friday, May 10

Martin, Tenn.

5 p.m.

UT Martin

20-29, 12-10

Lindenwood

14-35, 7-15

Lindenwood

UT Martin

UT MARTIN BASEBALL WINS PITCHERS’ DUEL OVER OVC RIVAL LINDENWOOD, 3-2

5/10/2024 11:00:00 PM | Baseball

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MARTIN, Tenn.- The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team used outstanding pitching in a 3-2 win over Lindenwood in Game 1 of an Ohio Valley Conference weekend series.

Skyhawk starting pitcher Tristan Walton went seven strong innings, striking out six with only two runs allowed. The senior lefty allowed just six singles – three of which came via bunts with another coming on an infield hit – but did not factor into the decision. Fellow senior Tucker Reed improved to 4-0 on the season after getting the final six outs while fanning three batters.

At the plate, Will Smith and Garner Anderson each had RBI's while the trio of Jalen Fithian, Mac Danford and Zac Rice each crossed the plate. Rice scored the eventual game-winning run from second base on a wild pitch in the bottom of the eighth to shift UT Martin's record to 20-29 (12-10 OVC).

Gallery: (5-10-2024) Baseball vs. Lindenwood

Lindenwood (14-35, 7-15 OVC) plated a run in the top of the first before Walton stranded a pair of Lions on the basepaths with his second strikeout of the opening frame. The Skyhawks would provide an immediate answer as Fithian singled, stole second and came in to score on a Smith RBI single up the middle.

Walton was then dominant for the next five innings, not conceding a single hit over that stretch. He retired seven straight batters at one point before sitting down six consecutive Lions from the fourth through sixth innings. That included efficiently perfect frames in the second (nine pitches), third (13 pitches) and fifth (eight pitches) innings.

Meanwhile, UT Martin took its first lead of the day in the bottom of the fourth. Danford lined a leadoff double into the gap in left center before moving up 90 feet on a Blaze Bell groundout to the right side. Anderson then lifted a sacrifice fly to give the Skyhawks a 2-1 advantage.

The Lions played small ball in the seventh as three consecutive Lindenwood hitters laid down bunts with one out. After two singles and a sacrifice moved two runners into scoring position with two away, an infield single evened the score at 2-all.

Reed entered in the eighth and dramatically rung up an inning-ending strikeout to strand the bases loaded. With momentum in UT Martin's dugout, Rice was issued a leadoff walk in the bottom half and the senior speedster from Fort Mitchell, Ala. took it from there. He stole second on the first pitch of the next at-bat before scampering home all the way from second base on an errant wild pitch to nudge the Skyhawks back on top, 3-2.

Reed induced a 4-6-3 double play and once again dug deep for a clutch strikeout in the top of the ninth, stranding the potential tying run 90 feet away to give UT Martin a Game 1 victory.

Game 2 of the three-game weekend set is scheduled for tomorrow at 3 p.m. on ESPN+.