UT Martin Welcomes In Eastern Illinois For The Weekend Series

Friday, April 24

Martin, Tenn.

5 p.m.

UT Martin

Eastern Illinois

UT Martin Welcomes In Eastern Illinois For The Weekend Series

4/23/2026 11:21:00 AM | Baseball

Live Stats: Game 1 Live Stats: Game 2 Live Stats: Game 3 WUTM 90.3 FM ESPN+: Game 3

MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team begins its second to last home series of the season when it hosts Ohio Valley Conference rival Eastern Illinois for three games. The series begins on Friday, April 24 at 5 p.m. then Game 2 follows on Saturday, April 25 at 3 p.m. The series finale takes place Sunday, April 26 at 1 p.m.

The UT Martin (20-20, 6-9 OVC) offense ranks inside the top 20 in four major offensive categories including doubles (sixth, 99), batting average (12^th, .317), hits (14^th, 439) and stolen bases (17^th, 105). The Skyhawk bats have turned in nine double digit run performances throughout the season.

Senior TJ Grines leads the country by four stolen bases with 43 swiped this season while hitting .352 (fifth in the OVC). Colten Payton has driven in a team-best 44 RBIs (fifth in OVC) and owns 12 doubles (seventh in OVC). Andrew Lawrence holds the best current on-base streak at 10 straight games while slugging .607.

The reigning OVC Pitcher of the Week Jacob Sitton sits among the league leaders in batters struck out looking (second, 15), strikeouts (fifth, 51), innings pitched (fifth, 60), earned run average (eighth, 3.60) and opposing batting average (ninth, .248). Will Turner has posted four scoreless outings in his last five appearances out of the bullpen (eight strikeouts to one walk in that span). Gabe Bryant's 21 appearances lead all relief pitchers on the UT Martin staff and Gehrig Wright boasts a .196 opposing batting average.

Eastern Illinois (22-14, 10-5 OVC) sits just one game back of first place in the league standings heading into this weekend. The Panthers lead the conference in on base percentage (.413) and rank second in shutouts (two). James Love and Mike O'Connor sit inside the league's top 10 in OPS with a 1.080 and 1.075 clip, respectively. Right-handed pitcher Bryce Riggs is first in the conference in strikeouts (60) and opposing batting average (.158).

Game 1 features the senior righty Sitton (5-2) and graduate right-hander Tyler Conklin (6-2, 5.46) while Game 2 pits junior righty Cason Sharp (2-4, 5.40 ERA) against the junior Riggs (6-1, 2.61). UT Martin will throw graduate right-hander Maxwell Schumacher (2-4, 6.42) in the series finale while the Panthers Sunday starter is to be announced at a later date.

Fans can listen live to the first two games on WUTM 90.3 FM while the series finale will be streamed on ESPN+. All three live stats links for the weekend can be found above.