University of Tennessee at Martin Baseball falls in doubleheader to Kent State

Hunter McLean/Baseball | University of Tennessee at Martin

By NW Tennessee News Reports

Mar 11, 2023

The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team continued its long homestand today, hosting Kent State for the first two contests of a three-game nonconference series. The Skyhawks were defeated by scores of 6-0 and 12-3 in the third doubleheader already of the 2023 campaign.

Hunter McLean, Blaze Bell and Zac Rice each had two hits apiece today while McLean and Rice both drove in a run. The trio of Nate Self, Caleb Hobson and Jackson Cooke all scored once today for UT Martin, who is now 3-8.

On the hill, Zach Wager, Choyce Diffey and Trey Ricko did not allow an earned run in relief appearances for the Skyhawks today. UT Martin's starting pitchers of Jordan Armstrong (Game 1) and Tristan Walton (Game 2) combined to strikeout nine batters over 10.1 innings as six different Skyhawks saw action on the mound today.

UT Martin closes out the series tomorrow with a 1 p.m. matchup at Skyhawk Field.

Game 1
The Skyhawks put together a rally after chasing Golden Flashes starter Ben Cruikshank in the bottom of the seventh but the Kent State bullpen held on for the win.

The Golden Flashes scored twice in the top of the first but Armstrong (1-1) shut down the Kent State offense for the next three innings, retiring 10 straight batters. He needed only nine pitches to breeze through the second frame before recording strikeouts in each of the next two frames.

The Skyhawks brought the tying run to the plate in the fourth as the speedy Hobson reached on a one-out error. However, the Golden Flashes got out of the inning with their 2-0 lead intact.

Kent State managed two runs with two outs in the top of the fifth to go ahead by a 4-0 margin. In the bottom half of the inning, Culumovic singled with one away while Mac Danford reached on a fielder's choice and moved into scoring position on a passed ball. Unfortunately, the Golden Flashes once again escaped a potential UT Martin threat.

J. Henry Hobson was summoned from the bullpen for the final two innings and started his appearance with a scoreless sixth.

Kent State scored two runs in the seventh but the Skyhawks kept battling. Andrew Fernandez (walk), Will Smith (single) and Culumovic (walk) all reached base off Cruikshank, forcing the Golden Flashes to go to their bullpen with the bases loaded and one out. However, Kent State was able to induce a game-ending double play.

Game 2
Things were tight through five innings but UT Martin could not overcome an early deficit.

Walton (1-2) threw up a zero on the scoreboard in the top of the first. Bell roped a double in the bottom half of the inning but the contest was scoreless through one frame.

The Golden Flashes managed five runs (four earned) in the top of the second but the Skyhawks got one run back in the bottom half. Self singled with two away and advanced to second base on a throwing error. McLean drove a 2-2 pitch for an RBI single to center to get UT Martin on the scoreboard. Rice singled through the left side to put a pair of runners aboard but Kent State got out of the jam with a 5-1 lead.

Walton cruised through the third, pitching through a scoreless frame in just 12 pitches. Bell posted his second hit of the night with a single in the third inning but the Skyhawks could not bring him around to score.

In the top of the fourth, Walton recorded two quick outs before throwing another zero on the scoreboard – ending the inning with a pickoff.

Another two-out rally was in store for UT Martin in the fourth. Cooke walked and McLean was hit by a pitch to put two men aboard the basepaths for Rice, who produced a single up the middle for an RBI that plated Cooke. With a pair of baserunners in scoring position, the Golden Flashes kept the score at 5-2 through four innings.

Walton was once again untouchable in the fifth, dialing up a pair of strikeouts and a popup to shortstop to retire the side in order.

Kent State then managed four runs (three unearned) in the top of the sixth. In the bottom half, Culumovic (walk) and McLean (single) safely reached base but the Skyhawk offense could not manufacture a run.

After an unearned run crossed the plate in the top of the seventh, UT Martin got back on the scoreboard in the bottom half. Hobson and Fernandez both drew walks to start off the inning and Hobson eventually came around to score.

The Golden Flashes scored twice in the eighth before Ricko did not allow a hit in a shutout top of the ninth. However, the Skyhawks could not chip away any further.