Skyhawks Battle But Fall 7-5 To Murray State

Tuesday, February 24

Martin, Tenn.

3 p.m.

UT Martin

3-5

Murray State

6-2

Murray State

UT Martin

Skyhawks Battle But Fall 7-5 To Murray State

2/24/2026 10:06:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery

MARTIN, Tenn.- The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team competed for the full nine innings but fell short to Murray State 7-5 at Skyhawk Field.

TJ Dunsford (double, RBI, run scored) and Colten Payton (double, RBI, run scored) led UT Martin (3-5) with two hits each. Garner Anderson drove in a run off a triple while TJ Grines (three stolen bases), Andrew Davis (one stolen base) and Dunsford (one stolen base) were active on the base paths.

Anderson got his first career start and went one inning with a strikeout, no runs allowed, no walks and only one hit. Drake Bayles threw four innings out of the bullpen and punched out two batters while Jake DeValk (one inning), Gehrig Wright (two strikeouts), Gabe Bryant (1-1, one inning, three strikeouts) and JP Nunn (one inning, one strikeout) also saw time in relief.

The Skyhawks started the contest with Anderson stranding one Murray State runner on a groundout to finish the first. UT Martin stole three bases in the home half (Grines 2, Davis 1) that led to the game's first run when Payton plated Grines on a sacrifice fly to right.

Gallery: (2-24-2026) Baseball vs. Murray State

Bayles entered in the second and threw three scoreless innings (two 1-2-3 innings) before the Racers (6-2) knotted the game up at one in the top of the fifth. The Skyhawks snapped that tie from four runs with two outs in the bottom part of the frame. Davis singled to right to score Grines from second, then a dropped fly ball allowed Davis to score and make it 3-1. Dunsford doubled off the center field wall to score another run and Anderson continued his slugging ways with a triple down the right field line to bring UT Martin's lead to 5-1.

Murray State was able to chip away and eventually carry a two-run lead into the bottom of the ninth inning. The Skyhawks brought the tying run to the plate but were unable to complete a ninth inning comeback.

UT Martin will get set for the weekend series when Bradley comes to town for three games starting on Friday, Feb. 27 at 3 p.m.