HAMMOND, La. –A trio of Skyhawks collected multi-hit outings this afternoon, but The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team lost a 9-3 decision to Southeastern Louisiana at Alumni Field.
Grant Glasser, Phil Sorensen and Byron Johann each went 2-for-4 this afternoon for UT Martin (0-3), who also received a pair of RBI's out of third baseman Matt Haynes. Wade Collins also reached base twice and drove in a run, while Glasser, Sorensen and Nico Zych came around to score for the Skyhawks.
A trio of UT Martin pitchers combined for 10 strikeouts today. Senior Alex Boshers made the start and was charged with the loss after allowing six runs (three earned) over four innings. He struck out five batters against only one walk and conceded six hits. Dalton Potts (2.2 innings, two runs, four strikeouts) and Stu Jones (1.1 innings, zero hits, one run) also made appearances on the mound for the Skyhawks.
UT Martin led 2-0 after two innings. Collins drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a Sorensen single. With two on and two out, Haynes pulled a double out to left center, plating Sorensen and Zych (who had reached on a sacrifice bunt) to put the Skyhawks on top.
That would be plenty of support early on for Boshers, who retired the side in order in the first two frames, striking out four over that span. However, Southeastern Louisiana pushed across five runs on five hits in the third inning and added another run in the fourth to make the score 6-2.
The Skyhawks got back on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth. Glasser led things off with a single and advanced to second on a groundout. With two outs, Collins stepped to the plate and singled in Glasser to get UT Martin within three runs at 6-3.
Potts – who entered the game to start the fifth – piled up back-to-back strikeouts to start the sixth to round out his second straight scoreless inning.
UT Martin recorded a pair of hits and had men on the corners in the top of the seventh, but couldn’t cut into its deficit. Potts tallied two more strikeouts early in the bottom half of the seventh but a pair of errors proved costly as the Lions added two more runs.
Southeastern Louisiana scored once more in the eighth. Johann (single), Luis Paublini-Campos (hit by pitch) and Glasser (walk) all reached base safely in the ninth inning to load the bases, but the Skyhawks couldn’t tack on any runs to extend the game.
UT Martin will hold its home opener this Tuesday, Feb. 19 when it hosts the Southern Illinois Salukis. First pitch from Skyhawk Field is slated for 3 p.m.