For the second time in as many weeks, UTM senior southpaw Sam Folks set the tone for a shutout as the Skyhawk baseball team won a 1-0 decision in Game 2 of their doubleheader against Austin Peay today. UTM fell in the front end of this afternoon’s contests by a 10-6 margin.
Folks was masterful in the doubleheader nightcap, going a season-high 7.1 innings while allowing just five hits (only one for extra bases). He gave way to David Hussey, who improved to 2-0 on the season after the Skyhawks pushed the go-ahead run across the plate in the bottom of the eighth.
Eric Steensma also pitched well today for UTM, generating two shutout innings of relief in Game 1.
At the plate, Casey Harford went a combined 4-for-9 on the day for a .444 batting average. Blake Daniels hit .429 in seven at-bats while Jack Culumovic collected a .333 batting average in a pair of starts. Wil LaFollette went yard for the second straight contest in Game 1, driving in a team-high three runs on the day while Will Smith scored a team-best two runs this afternoon.
The Skyhawks head back on the road next weekend, traveling to Eastern Illinois for a three-game set on April 23-24.
Game 1
UTM held a lead through four frames but the Governors scored in four consecutive innings to take the middle game of the series.
Austin Peay scored on a sacrifice fly in the top of the first inning but the Skyhawks answered right back in the bottom half. Smith led things off with a single and after both LaFollette and Christian Hall drew walks to load the bases, Ethan Whitley lined an infield single to second base to knot the score at 1-all.
Towards the end of the first inning, Nick Wohlbold found his groove as he carried that into the next two frames. The junior right-hander retired eight straight Governor batters at one point, keeping the game tied through three innings.
Austin Peay scored two runs (one earned) in the top of the fourth but UTM came roaring back to take its first lead of the day after a five-spot in the bottom half. A pair of Governor errors resulted in a two-out rally as Daniels and Harford produced back-to-back RBI singles to tie the game at 3-all. LaFollette then jacked a mammoth three-run homer over the centerfield wall for his team-best ninth jack of the 2021 campaign.
In the top of the fifth, Austin Peay rallied to even the score at 6-all before Ryan Insco (0-2) came in to record the final out. The Governors then pushed across three runs (two earned) in the sixth and one more run in the seventh to make the score 10-6. Steensma then shut down the Austin Peay lineup over the final two frames, retiring five consecutive batters at one point.
The Skyhawks placed four runners on the basepaths in the last three innings but couldn’t piece together any more offense. Their best chance came in the eighth after Culumovic led off with a bunt single. Daniels followed with a two-out single but the Governors got out of the jam.
LaFollette started the bottom of the ninth with a leadoff single but Austin Peay managed to escape the inning six pitches later thanks to a double play and a strikeout.
Game 2
It was a pitcher’s duel from the top as Folks led the charge for UTM, guiding the Skyhawks to their first shutout over Austin Peay since another 1-0 victory on April 13, 1996.
The Governors’ best scoring chance came in the first inning as each of the first two batters reached base. After an error on a failed pickoff attempt, Folks redeemed himself with a slick-fielding play to catch Austin Peay in a rundown at third base for the second out of the inning. He later induced an inning-ending groundout to strand a pair of runners.
Daniels and Harford both had back-to-back one-out singles in the bottom of the first but UT Martin could not take advantage of the early offense.
Folks sat down eight Governor hitters in a row from the second through fourth innings. Austin Peay managed to get a pair of runners on the basepaths after a Skyhawk error and a walk in the top of the fourth but once again, Folks’ glove came in handy as he snared a comebacker for the final out of the inning.
Folks continued to pound the strike zone and in the process, the Franklin, Tennessee native allowed just one baserunner in the fifth and sixth innings combined – a harmless two-out single in the top of the fifth.
In the bottom of the sixth, Daniels drew a two-out walk and soon advanced 90 feet on a balk. Harford then lined a sharp single to the right side but Governor second baseman Malcolm Tipler made an outstanding diving play to keep the ball on the infield before firing a strike to the plate to nab Daniels and keep the game scoreless.
Folks showed remarkable fortitude in the top of the seventh, working around a one-out double with a strikeout and flyout to center. He carried the shutout into the eighth – retiring the first batter he saw – but was soon lifted after a hit by pitch. Hussey picked him up with a flyout and strikeout on only seven pitches.
On the other side, Austin Peay starter Sebastian Martinez matched Folks pitch-for-pitch. UTM finally got into the Governor bullpen in the bottom of the eighth after a Blake Davis one-out single knocked Martinez out of the game. Benny DeTrude then lined a 1-1 pitch over the head of the leaping Austin Peay shortstop for a single. After Smith was hit by a pitch to load the bases and force another Governor pitching change, Daniels showed patience by drawing an RBI walk for the game’s first and only run.
Hussey was lights out in the ninth, striking out a pair of batters to go along with a groundout to shortstop to clinch the victory.
