MARTIN, Tenn. - Junior Wes Patterson homered in his first two at-bats and also added a double tonight, but The University of Tennessee at Martin couldn't hold down the Belmont offense in a 16-6 loss at Skyhawk Field.

Just three days after Patterson broke the 25 year-old UT Martin all-time career home run record, he added to his total with two more long balls to help give the Skyhawks an early lead. He also added four RBI tonight, which leaves him just two shy of tying the all-time single-season record of 58, held by Jim Willis in 1985.

Ty Nelson and Cory Stooksbury also added two hits for the Skyhawks, with Nelson and Drew Mason driving in the other two runs for UT Martin. Nelson also went deep tonight, helping add to UT Martin's record-setting season for home runs. So far in 48 games, the Skyhawks have drilled 65 homers - the most in school history for a single-season.

Belmont jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning, but UT Martin roared back to take a 3-2 lead in the bottom half of the inning. Cody Terry drove a one-out double to left-center field on the first pitch he saw, then Nelson singled to left field and both he and Terry advanced on an error by the Bruin left fielder. That brought up Patterson - who guided an 0-1 pitch to the opposite field and kept it fair down the right field line for a three-run round tripper.

The Bruins came back to score six runs on five hits (two home runs) in the top of the second, then added another run in the top of the third on a wild pitch.

With the score 9-3, the Skyhawks cut into their deficit with another three-run inning in the bottom of the third. Nelson smashed a line drive homer to center field, then Patterson launched a light-tower shot to left-center field on the next pitch for his 35th career home run. Jordan Owen followed that with the Skyhawks' third consecutive hit to begin the inning - a single to center field. After Owen advanced on a groundout, Mason singled him in to make the score 9-6 after three frames.

Another big inning ensued by Belmont, as the Bruins tacked on four more runs on five hits in the top of the fourth. By the time the Skyhawks shut down Belmont, their own offense had gone cold - going down in order in the fourth and fifth innings. Belmont threatened again in the top of the sixth, but Brent Morris made an outstanding play to help UT Martin end the inning unscathed. After the first two Bruin batters reached on singles, the left fielder chased down a foul ball and snagged the ball full-extension, then got up and fired a strike to Trey Karlen at third base to catch the Belmont runner trying to tag up and advance to third base.

Stooksbury led off the sixth with a double down the left field line, and Matt Young reached on an error to put men on first and second to begin a potential rally. However, the Skyhawks stranded both runners after getting three consecutive outs.

Freshman Alec Mills came in and pitched a scoreless inning by retiring the side and not allowing a ball out of the infield in the top of the seventh. Patterson led off the bottom half of the seventh by ripping a double down the left field line, but the Skyhawks once again couldn't bring in a runner to cut into the Belmont lead.

The Bruins added two more run in the top of the eighth and one run in the ninth on a solo homer, and the Skyhawks left a man on base and went down in order in the ninth inning.

UT Martin will look to bounce back this weekend in its home finale. The Skyhawks - just one game out of the coveted sixth-place spot in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament - will host Tennessee Tech at Skyhawk Field for a three-game set on Saturday, May 15 and Sunday, May 16, with Senior Day festivities occurring on Sunday.

#SKYHAWKS#



HOME RUN TROT: Junior Wes Patterson gets congratulated by UT Martin third base coach Brad Goss as he rounds third base after a home run. Patterson hit his 34th and 35th career long balls in the game, adding to his all-time UT Martin home run lead.