Skyhawks Clinch OVC Opening Series Win Over Defending Champion Southeast Missouri In Doubleheader

Saturday, March 22

Martin, Tenn.

Noon

UT Martin

10-12, 2-0

Southeast Missouri

12-11, 0-2

Southeast Missouri

UT Martin

Skyhawks Clinch OVC Opening Series Win Over Defending Champion Southeast Missouri In Doubleheader

3/22/2025 10:04:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Stats PDF: Game 1 Stats PDF: Game 2 Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

MARTIN, Tenn.- The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team captured its second series win over Southeast Missouri in the last three meetings with an 8-4 victory in Game 1 of the doubleheader. The Redhawks were able to salvage the series in the second part of the twin bill with a 7-6 win to close out Ohio Valley Conference opening weekend.

Game 1: UTM 8, SEMO 4
Jacob Sitton (1-2) was impressive, going 6.1 innings with no earned runs and three strikeouts while Jeb Bartle earned the save by whiffing four batters over the final 2.2 innings.

Sitton started out the game by leaving a runner stranded at first from a groundout to end the frame and then put down the Redhawks (13-11, 1-2 OVC) in order in the second. Another scoreless frame was on tap when the righty caused a double play off an incredible diving grab from the mound and throw to second. That set up Tommy Koch to throw out his first of two would-be base stealers of the day to end the inning.

SEMO struck three runs off UT Martin (10-12, 2-1 OVC) in the top part of the fourth, but that was equaled by the home team in the bottom of the inning. Brody Capps doubled down the left field line to score two and Arderrius Townsend brought the score even off a single up the middle on a full count.

Sitton bounced back after a run was plated in the fifth with a hitless sixth inning. The Milan, Tenn. native forced a batter to get under a 1-0 count for a flyout to center, then got help from his third baseman Jonah Katsaboulas who hauled in a hot shot and completed the throw to first for the second out. The next batter to come to the plate flew out on the second pitch of the at-bat to close the inning and keep the Skyhawks within striking distance.

UT Martin brought the score even for the second time via a Capps single and wound up taking the lead on a two-run single by Blaze Bell. Koch got another run home after a sacrifice fly to left field that gave the Skyhawks a 7-4 advantage. Bartle arrived on the mound in the top of the seventh and proceeded to keep the lead secure, punching out back-to-back SEMO batters.

The Skyhawks gave Bartle an insurance run in the form of a Bell RBI single after he sat down the Redhawks in order during the top of the eighth. The righty Bartle secured the series triumph by whiffing the first two batters of the ninth inning and finished things off with a flyout to second base.

Bell had a monster Game 2, going 3-4 with three RBIs while Capps (double, one stolen base, three runs scored), TJ Grines (double, two runs scored) and Jalen Fithian (two hits) also delivered multi-hit performances. Jordan Hudson collected a hit and drew a walk.

Gallery: (3-22-2025) Baseball vs. SEMO

Game 2: UTM 6, SEMO 7
Brandon King (five innings pitched) got his fourth game started this season with Mason Shropshire (two innings, no runs, no walks, four strikeouts) and Kaleb Baskin (1-1, three innings, one strikeout, no walks) coming in from the bullpen.

The first was a breeze for King as he dropped SEMO in order. The Redhawks brought one in during the second, but left a runner stranded and came away with no hits in the third after King got a flyout to end the inning.

SEMO drove in another runner in the fourth yet again failed to deliver in the ensuing inning. Koch threw out his conference-best 11th would-be base stealer and King ended his day on a 2-1 flyout to left. With one out against it, the UT Martin offense evened up the scoreboard in the home half on three straight plays. Grines continued to show he was on a tear by sending an RBI single to right field, Katsaboulas made it back-to-back RBI singles and Capps reached on a fielder's choice that made it 3-3 heading to the sixth.

Shropshire worked a clean top of the sixth inning and left two stranded in the seventh to keep the score tied. A wild pitch by the Redhawks and two-run long ball to center field from Townsend put the Skyhawks in front 6-3 with the eighth inning looming.

SEMO knotted the series finale up in the eighth and then scored what would later be the game-winning run on a fielder's choice in the tenth.

Grines went 3-4 (one RBI) in Game 3 while Katsaboulas (one RBI, one walk), Townsend (two hits, one run scored), Bell (one hit), Hudson (one run scored) and Cameron Greene (two hits, run scored) also contributed to the offense.

UT Martin will gear up for a midweek matchup with Southern Illinois on Tuesday, March 25 at 5 p.m. Live stats and ESPN+ will be available for the matchup.