A historic Game 1 performance out of the UTM baseball team set the tone for a pair of wins today against the Arkansas State Red Wolves at Tomlinson Stadium.
The Skyhawk offense erupted in the opener, winning by a 21-5 margin – plating the most runs since April 25, 2009 against Tennessee Tech. UTM pushed across 11 runs in the top of the ninth inning alone – tying the school record for most runs in a single inning set against Chicago State on Feb. 28, 1997. Christian Hall also joined three others in Skyhawk history with a record-tying eight runs batted in – becoming the first to accomplish that feat since Wes Patterson (against Cleveland State on March 20, 2010).
Game 2 was a shortened affair as UTM collected an 8-5 victory in a contest that was called after five complete innings because of rain.
Houston Wright (two homers as part of a three extra-base hit performance in Game 2) and Blake Davis each hit .600 on the day while Hall tacked on another RBI in the nightcap to finish his day with a team-high nine runs driven in. Sean Dixson hit .500 with a team-best four runs to pace the Skyhawks (3-3) offensively. UT Martin took advantage of 17 walks and seven hit-by-pitch plate appearances in Game 1.
On the pitching side, Winston Cannon (six innings, two runs on four hits) and Nick Wohlbold (one inning, two strikeouts) earned the wins in Game 1 and Game 2, respectively, for the Skyhawks. For his efforts, Cannon moved into the top-10 in school history with his 13th career victory – tying him for eighth place with Alec Mills (2010-12), Randy Coffman (1988-89) and Mike McSwain (1987-90). Matthew Shunk, Jefferey O’Doherty, Seth Petry and Trey Ricko were each responsible for scoreless appearances out of the UTM bullpen (all in Game 1).
The Skyhawks travel to regional rival Southern Illinois on March 5-7 for their final nonconference tuneup before the start of Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) play.
Game 1
UTM got on the scoreboard early and often in the first contest, starting with two runs in the top of the first. Dixson crushed the second pitch of the game for an opposite-field double before Will Smith reached on an error. Both runners came in to score after Hall smoked a double into the gap in left-center to make the score 2-0.
The Red Wolves (0-3) got one run back in the first inning but Cannon silenced the Arkansas State lineup over the next two frames. The 6-3 senior out of Cookeville, Tennessee, avoided trouble thanks to his battery mate in the second, as Davis mowed down a runner trying to steal third for the final out of the inning. Cannon breezed through the third, needing just 11 pitches to retire the side in order.
Hall added to his big day at the dish in the top of the third, launching a two-run homer down the right-field line to make the score 4-1 in favor of the Skyhawks. One inning later, Wil LaFollette connected on his second home run in as many games, pulverizing the first pitch he saw for a solo shot out to right field.
Back-to-back doubles by the Red Wolves opened the fourth and trimmed UTM’s advantage to 5-2. The Skyhawks immediately added a run in their next at-bat as Hall lifted a sacrifice fly that scored Dixson (who led off the inning by being hit by a pitch).
Cannon put up clean innings in each of his final two frames, striking out the last batter he faced on three pitches in the bottom of the sixth.
UTM put the game away with 15 runs on only four hits over the last three innings. Noah Thigpen (walk), Davis (two-run single) and Smith (walk) each had RBI’s in a four-run seventh.
The Skyhawks sent 17 batters to the plate in the top of the ninth as the first 13 members of the batting order reached base safely. Casey Harford (walk and a hit by pitch), Hall (two-run single, sacrifice fly), Benny DeTrude (walk), Noah Thigpen (walk), Blake Daniels (hit by pitch), Preston Jones (hit by pitch) and Alec Beaman (walk) each earned RBI’s during a marathon inning to cap off the victory.
Game 2
A six-run top of the fourth wound up being the difference in the nightcap as the two teams endured an 84-minute rain delay before the game was called in favor of UTM.
The Red Wolves struck first with a run in the bottom of the first but Skyhawk starter Sam Folks bounced back nicely. He retired seven batters in a row at one point – including four consecutive strikeouts between the second and third innings.
UTM took its first lead of the contest in the top of the second as Wright snuck a 2-0 offering just inside the foul pole in right field to tie the game at 1-all. Moments later, Dixson laced a triple to left field to score Davis, who previously doubled.
The Skyhawks added another huge inning in the fourth. LaFollette tripled to lead off the inning and came around to score on a round-tripper by Wright. Smith drew a bases-loaded walk while Harford (single) and Hall (walk) contributed RBI’s. The sixth and final run of the frame came in on a double play as UTM claimed an 8-1 advantage.
Arkansas State managed three runs in the bottom of the fourth and tallied another run in the fifth before Wohlbold slammed the door on the Red Wolves. The Skyhawk closer retired the final two Red Wolves via strikeout and an unassisted groundout to first base before the sky opened up with steady rainfall – extending UTM’s winning streak to three games.
