UT Martin
23-24, 9-12
Western Illinois
16-30, 8-13
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UT Martin | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 19 | 23 | 2 |
| Western Ill. | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 5 |
Skyhawks Snap School Records In 19-10 Series-Clinching Win Over Western Illinois
5/3/2026 6:21:00 PM | Baseball
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TJ Grines broke another school record this time for stolen bases in a game with six. The senior also notched four hits with a home run, double, four runs scored and two RBIs. Colten Payton (three RBIs) and Tommy Koch (double, home run) both had a season-best four hits while TJ Dunsford (three hits, RBI) Andrew Lawrence (two stolen bases), JT Popick (two RBIs) and Eli Huebner (two RBIs) recorded multiple hits. Every Skyhawk that stepped to the plate recorded a base knock.
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Maxwell Schumacher (3-4) earned the win by pitching 6.1 innings and fanning three batters. Will Turner (one strikeout), Mason Little and Gabe Bryant (two innings) pitched out of the bullpen.
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UT Martin (23-24, 9-12 Ohio Valley Conference) had one of the highest scoring innings in school history with 10 runs right off the bat in the first. Payton started the rally with an RBI single then Davis drew a bases loaded walk. Popick drove in a run on a fielder's choice and another run came home this time from an error. Koch made it 5-0 from a single to left field with the Skyhawks upping their lead two batters later by scoring off an error. Koch and Grines came home from an error and Payton singled again for a 9-0 UT Martin edge. Davis capped off the scoring and got the Skyhawks to double digits with an RBI single to right field.
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Western Illinois (16-30, 8-13 OVC) got a run in during the home half, but Schumacher responded by sitting down five of the next six batters he faced. With an eight-run lead in the top of the fifth, UT Martin added on two more from Grines' second home run of the series that upped the advantage to 12-2.
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Schumacher posted a 1-2-3 inning in the fifth, and the Skyhawk bats brought home three in the seventh inning off back-to-back RBI singles courtesy of Payton and Dunsford. Davis reached safely in the next at-bat on a fielder's choice with Payton scoring from third and it was 15-3 in favor of the Orange and Blue.
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Koch hit his second home run of the season in the eighth while Popick and Huebner delivered RBI singles in the top of the ninth to give UT Martin a 19-9 lead going into the bottom part of the inning. Bryant closed out the ninth to help the Skyhawks grasp the series win on the road.
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UT Martin will now prepare for a midweek game against Murray State on Tuesday, May 5 at noon from Johnny Reagan Field.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Schumacher, Maxwell (3-4)
L: Brett Buchanan (2-2)
Batting:
2B: Grines, TJ 1 ; Koch, Tommy 1 ; Anderson, Garner 1
HR: Grines, TJ 1 ; Koch, Tommy 1
RBI: Grines, TJ 2 ; Payton, Colten 3 ; Dunsford, TJ 1 ; Davis, Andrew 3 ; Popick, JT 2 ; Huebner, Eli 2 ; Koch, Tommy 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Grines, TJ 4 ; Lawrence, Andrew 3 ; Payton, Colten 3 ; Dunsford, TJ 2 ; Davis, Andrew 1 ; Popick, JT 2 ; Huebner, Eli 1 ; Koch, Tommy 2 ; Anderson, Garner 1
SB: Grines, TJ 6 ; Lawrence, Andrew 2
Batting:
HR: Liam Bushey 1 ; Isaiah Monge 1
RBI: Liam Bushey 3 ; Wandel Campana 1 ; Cordell Coburn 1 ; Isaiah Monge 2
SH: Joe Connolly 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Joe Connolly 2 ; Liam Bushey 2 ; Isaiah Monge 2 ; Gage Hoover 2 ; Krayton Morse 2
HBP: Joe Connolly 1 ; Wandel Campana 1 ; Josh McClintock 1 ; Krayton Morse 1
