MARTIN, Tenn. – UT Martin erased a 2-0 deficit to salvage the final game of the Ohio Valley Conference weekend series with a 7-2 decision over Jacksonville State on Sunday at Skyhawk Park.
The Gamecocks will enter the final weekend of conference play in fourth place in the league standings at 14-13. JSU dropped to 27-23 overall and will travel to Birmingham, Alabama on Tuesday for its final non-conference contest with the Bulldogs of Samford. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Samford's Joe Lee Griffin Field. UTM kept its hopes of advancing to the OVC Baseball Championship with the win, improving to 24-27 overall and 11-16 in the league.
UTM put the first of its seven late runs on the board with a solo home run by Dan Kerwin off of JSU junior
Grant Chandler in the seventh. Chandler was the first of three relievers used by JSU in the final three innings. Senior
Joe McGuire, who was also in the cleanup spot in the batting order, worked the first six innings. McGuire was touched for five hits and allowed four free passes in the outing. The Oxford, Alabama right hander escaped bases-loaded jams in the first two innings.
Senior
Nate Sylvester (1-2) came in in the eighth to hold serve, but after a leadoff single and a sacrifice, he fanned the second out of the inning with the tying run at second. UTM pinch hitter Anthony Adduci was walked by Sylvester. Freshman
Corley Woods was summoned from the bullpen and after hitting the first batter he faced, Tyler Albright delivered the game-winning RBI single. UTM's Kerwin singled to load the bases and Tanner Wessling powered a grand slam over the left field wall.
JSU's offense struggled trying to solve UTM starter Peyton Cain for the first five innings and Alex Evans (8-5) for the final four innings. The duo combined to strike out nine Gamecocks and eight total hits. JSU touched Cain for six of the eight as the two hits off of Evans did not come until the ninth.
Senior centerfielder
A.J. Reynolds collected both RBI in the contest with a two-out single to left field. Reynolds played McGuire and
Nic Gaddis. Reynolds and Gaddis were the two Gamecocks to have multiple hits against the UTM pitching duo. Junior
Clayton Daniel extended his hitting streak to 15 consecutive games, which is the longest active streak in the OVC to date. Daniel has reached base in 25 straight league games.
OVC Tournament seeding will be on the line in the final weekend of conference play as JSU will host SIU Edwardsville at Choccolocco Park, beginning on Thursday, May 18 at 6 p.m. The series will continue on Friday afternoon and Saturday afternoon.
