Early deficit too much for UTM baseball, but not softball

Posted: Friday, April 13, 2012 12:00 pm

UT Martin faced an early deficit and could not recover in a 15-4 loss at Lipscomb in baseball action at Ken Dugan Field.
Junior designated hitter Wade Collins had a pair of hits, including his third homer of the season, for the Skyhawks (9-23). Matt Haynes and Ben Brewer also drove in a run for UTM, while Grant Glasser reached base safely four times with a single and three walks).
The Skyhawks loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the first but found themselves trailing 7-0 through three innings of play. UT Martin would get on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth when Collins creamed a 2-2 pitch over the wall in right field to make the score 7-1.
After a scoreless inning by freshman pitcher Dalton Potts, Lipscomb added three more runs in the fifth to go ahead 10-1. The Skyhawks would get one run back in the top of the sixth as pinch hitter Byron Johann drew a one-out walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. With two away, Haynes doubled to right field to plate Johann.
Lipscomb tallied a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth, but UT Martin got both runs back in the top of the seventh.
With one out, Glasser was issued his third walk of the evening, which was immediately followed by a double off the bat of Sonny Mastromatteo.
Glasser would score on a wild pitch and two batters later, and Brewer knocked in Mastromatteo with a single to left center to make the score 12-4.
Senior right-hander Danny Kelley fanned a pair of Lipscomb batters as part of a shutout seventh inning, but the Skyhawks couldn’t generate any more offense.
Meanwhile, the Bison compiled three more runs in the bottom of the eighth to provide the final scoring margin.
For the first time in over two weeks, UT Martin will play in front of the home crowd this weekend. The Skyhawks will take on Ohio Valley Conference rival Jacksonville State, starting Friday at 4 p.m. Games are also scheduled for Saturday (2 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.).
SOFTBALL
UTM 8, SIU 7
After spotting host Southern Illinois a 7-0 advantage, senior Erica Duke hit a solo home run in the top of the eighth inning to give UT Martin an 8-7 victory Tuesday afternoon at Charlotte West Stadium in Carbondale.
Senior Jenny Bain blasted a two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning to tie the game at 7-all.
UT Martin started its comeback in the top of the fourth inning when freshman Lauren Smith hit a three-run homer. Becca Williams also scored in the frame and the Skyhawks cut into SIU’s 7-0 advantage with four runs in the fourth.
Smith drove in a run in the top of the fifth inning with a single to plate sophomore Kayla Wade, who had three hits in the game.
The Skyhawks erupted for 11 hits in the game. Smith and Williams had two hits each.
Casey Vincent (8-3) relieved starter Chelsea Jones and pitched five innings of one-hit softball. Vincent allowed three walks and struck out one.
UT Martin, now 29-13 on the year, returns to friendly confines of Bettye Giles Field to host Austin Peay in an Ohio Valley Conference game at 5 p.m. today. Published in The WCP 4.12.12

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