Jackrabbit rally falls short to UTM

Saturday, February 16

Russellville, Ark.

1 p.m.

South Dakota State University

1-1

UT Martin

1-1

South Dakota State

UT Martin

Photo by: Inertia Sports Media/Dave Eggen

2/16/2019 5:18:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – UT Martin scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and held off South Dakota State in the late innings to defeat the Jackrabbits by a 5-4 score and even their season-opening baseball series at a game apiece Saturday afternoon at Tech Field.

The two squads traded unearned runs in the early going, with the Skyhawks drawing first blood in the second inning on a sacrifice fly and SDSU countering with an RBI groundout by Nick Smith in the third inning that plated Ryan McDonald.

An RBI double by UTM's Jordan Stoner gave the Skyhawks a momentary 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth.

The Jackrabbits grabbed what would be their only lead of the game on back-to-back home runs by Logan Holtz and McDonald to open the top of the fifth.

The Skyhawks manufactured the tying run in the home half of the fifth as Sean Dixson led off the frame with a single. He later stole both second and third before scoring on a groundout off the bat of Ethan Whitley.

Jackrabbit starter Ryan Froom exited after five innings as he made his first pitching appearance in nearly two years after suffering an arm injury in March 2017. The sixth-year senior from Crystal, Minnesota, struck out five, walked four and surrendered three hits.

Blake Davis and Bill Edwards started what proved to be the game-winning rally for UT Martin with back-to-back singles to open the sixth. Both runners moved up a base on a wild pitch before Stoner delivered a sacrifice fly and Casey Harford followed with a single that was misplayed in the outfield that allowed Edwards to score from second.

SDSU stranded two runners in the seventh and left the bases loaded in the eighth before putting together a final rally in the ninth. Jamie Berg walked and Drew Beazley singled to open the inning. Beazley was retired on a fielders choice that put runners at the corners before Berg scored on a throwing error. An infield single by Gus Steiger and intentional walk to Josh Falk loaded the bases, but Skyhawk reliever Nick Wohlbord got out of the jam with a game-ending double play off the bat of Braeden Brown.

Tyler Olmstead was the hard-luck loser for the Jackrabbits after giving up the two runs in the sixth. A returning all-Summit League performer, Olmstead struck out five and did not walk a batter in three innings of relief.

Zach Denney earned the win for UTM after striking out two and walking two in 2 1/3 innings.

The Skyhawks held a 10-9 advantage in hits, led by Tyson Cox's three hits in four trips to the plate.

McDonald was the lone SDSU player with more than one hit as eight of nine starters cracked the hit column.

UP NEXT
The two squads are slated to play the decisive game of their three-game series at noon Sunday. Freshman Nic McCay is the scheduled starter for SDSU.

NOTES

SDSU leads the all-time series, 4-3
The Jackrabbits have hit five home runs through two games; SDSU did not reach the five-home-run mark until the 11^th game of the 2018 season
Prior to Saturday, the last back-to-back home runs for the Jackrabbits were hit by Anthony Schneider and Tony Kjolsing to start a Summit League Baseball Championship tournament game May 24, 2018, versus Western Illinois
SDSU's starting lineup featured four freshmen: Beazley, Berg, McDonald and Luke Ira
Olmstead struck out the side in order in the seventh
The Jackrabbits stranded a total of 10 runners in the game