MARTIN, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team scored just five runs in their last 18 innings of play today, dropping a pair of games to Ohio Valley Conference foe Tennessee Tech 9-7 and 6-2 at Skyhawk Field. With the setbacks, the Skyhawks are now 22-28 with a 7-13 league record.

UT Martin jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead through two innings of play in the first game - a game that went into 13 innings. In Game 2 of the series, the Skyhawks could manage just four hits against OVC ERA leader Lee Henry. In the two games, UT Martin hit just .219 (16-for-73), while Tennessee Tech hit .363 (33-for-91).

Skyhawk senior catcher Ty Nelson picked up three hits on the day, while freshman Matt Young was the team's RBI leader with three. Cory Stooksbury scored three runs while Young and Jordan Owen produced the Skyhawks' only home runs on the day.

Freshman right-hander Dan Tobik pitched 4.2 innings of relief in Game 1, allowing just one unearned run. Drew Flaniken fanned six in four innings of Game 1, but was saddled with the loss after allowing three runs in the 13th inning after previously pitching three scoreless innings to keep UT Martin in the game. Coty Green gutted his way through a 149-pitch performance in Game 2, but allowed three of his six runs in the final inning while falling just one out shy of a complete game.

The Skyhawks will look to salvage the last game of the series tomorrow at 1 p.m. Before the game, seniors Flaniken, Green, Pat Jones and Nelson will be honored on the field for their contributions to the UT Martin baseball program.

Game 1

UT Martin got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second, when a Brent Morris two-out single began a furious Skyhawk rally. Drew Mason then walked, and Stooksbury lined a sharp single to center field to plate Morris. Young then carried on with his strong recent play with a towering three-run homer to left-center field to put the Skyhawks on top 4-0.

Freshman righty Alex Boshers had allowed only three hits and zero runs through the first three innings, but he ran into trouble in the fourth. The Golden Eagles pieced together four hits for three runs to get within a run of the UT Martin lead.

Tennessee Tech's Casanova Donaldson - who had five hits in six at-bats in Game 1 - gave the Golden Eagles a lead with a two-out double that scored two in the top of the fifth.

Meanwhile, Tennessee Tech starting pitcher Adam Liberatore settled down after the second inning, as he allowed just three hits over his next five innings of work to keep the Skyhawks scoreless.

Tennessee Tech extended its lead to 6-4 with an unearned run in the top of the eighth, but the Skyhawks got the run back in the bottom half of the inning. Nelson singled through the right side and two pitches later, Wes Patterson sent a rocket out to right-center field that brought Nelson all the way in from first base to make the score 6-5.

After Tobik held the Golden Eagles scoreless in the top of the ninth, the Skyhawks needed a rally to win or extend the game. With one out, Stooksbury singled to left field, then Young drew a walk to put Stooksbury in scoring position for the top of the order. Down to their final two outs, Trey Karlen delivered for the Skyhawks - sending the first pitch he saw for a double into left field, scoring Stooksbury to tie the game. UT Martin then had the winning run just 90 feet away from the plate with two outs to give but couldn't bring Young in, sending the game into extra innings.

Flaniken took over in the 10th, and he avoided a jam in that inning when Tennessee Tech lined into a double play with the bases loaded to keep the game at 6-all. Flaniken continued dealing in the 11th, pitching around a single to strike out the side to give his team another chance for a walk-off win.

Tennessee Tech's Stephen Pryor - who earned the victory after going 4.2 innings out of the bullpen - grounded the Skyhawks in extra innings, at one point retiring seven consecutive UT Martin hitters via the punch-out.

The Golden Eagles broke through for three runs in the top of the 13th, scoring their first run on a wild pitch and getting the next two runs on RBI singles.

UT Martin didn't give in though, as Mason and Young each walked to bring the tying run to the plate. With two outs, Cody Terry also drew a walk, loading the bases for Nelson. Nelson was then hit with a 1-1 pitch to slice the Skyhawk deficit to two runs while the bases remained loaded. However, Chason Choate nailed down the save by inducing a fielder's choice to end the game.


Game 2

Tennessee Tech got on the scoreboard early with a two-spot in the top of the first inning, and the Golden Eagles never trailed throughout the nightcap of the doubleheader.

Henry no-hit the Skyhawks through the first three innings, but UT Martin produced its first hit and first run in the top of the fourth. Nelson led things off with a double to left-center on a full count, then Owen brought him home with an RBI single to left field on the first pitch of his at-bat.

The Golden Eagles immediately got the run back in the top of the fifth. After Tate McMillan singled, AJ Kirby-Jones doubled down the left field line and McMillan was awarded home on an interference call to extend Tennessee Tech's lead to two runs at 3-1.

Henry regained his dominant form after allowing his first two hits in the fourth inning, as he held the Skyhawks hitless for the next two innings heading into the seventh.

Green matched Henry pitch-for-pitch, as the senior allowed just the one run on the interference call in five innings after Tennessee Tech had got to him for two runs in the first frame. However, Green showed signs of fatigue in the seventh while going for his second complete game of the season. Green gave up three runs on four hits, including back-to-back RBI singles that chased him from the game. After he threw 103 of his 149 pitches for strikes, Green gave way to freshman Alec Mills, who hit a batter before getting Kirby-Jones - who entered this week ranked No. 3 in the NCAA in slugging percentage - to fly out with the bases loaded to keep the score at 6-2.

Owen did his best to fuel a rally in the bottom of the seventh, pulverizing a 1-0 pitch deep beyond the left field wall for his OVC-leading 11th long ball in league play. The sophomore right fielder has now launched his 11 homers in just 20 conference games and has went deep at least once in every OVC series in 2010.

Although Morris followed Owen's long ball with a single, the Skyhawks couldn't get any more runners on base, dropping their fourth consecutive game to the Golden Eagles.

#SKYHAWKS#



GETTING IT DONE: Sophomore right fielder Jordan Owen launched his OVC-best 11th home run in conference play, while driving in two runs and adding an outfield assist in Game 2 of today's doubleheader against Tennessee Tech.