By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
Tennessee Tech Baseball Weekend Preview (Apr. 21)
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech baseball team continues its five-game road stretch with a trip west, taking on in-state rival UT Martin in a three-game, Ohio Valley Conference series at Skyhawk Baseball Field starting Friday.
The opener will feature a 5:00 p.m. CT first pitch while game two is set to begin at 3:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon. The series finale will begin at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday. All three games are slated to be streamed on ESPN+.
Tech comes into the series after falling to No. 5 Vanderbilt, 7-0, on Tuesday. In its most recent OVC action, the Golden Eagles claimed its first series win in league play last weekend, besting Southeast Missouri in a pair of contests.
Right-hander hurler Carter Gannaway was rewarded for his heroics in last week's win over No. 1 Tennessee, collecting both OVC Pitcher and Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week honors after tossing the final five and two-thirds innings in the contest. He held the nation's top offense without a hit while striking out a career-high nine batters to pick up his third win of the season.
This season, the purple and gold rank 12th nationally in home runs per game (1.71) and 17th in home runs (58), and 30th in both scoring (7.8 runs per game) and slugging percentage (.49). Tech ranks in the top three in the league with a .292 batting average (second), .485 slugging percentage (third), .386 on-base percentage (third), 258 runs (second), 356 hits (second), 231 RBI (second), 58 home runs (second), 591 total bases (second), and 18 sacrifice flies (first).
Slugger Jason Hinchman has paced the Golden Eagle offense, ranking sixth nationally with 0.44 home runs per game and 15 total dingers. His 59 career round-trippers are just three shy of tying both the program and OVC records held by former Golden Eagles Zach Stephens and Kevin Strohschein.
UT Martin enters the weekend on a nine-game skid, including falling in each of its last eight OVC contests. The Skyhawks have seen both of their past two midweek tilts cancelled due to inclement weather. Last weekend, UTM fell in a trio of tilts at Murray State.
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Tennessee Tech at UT Martin | Friday, Apr. 22, 5:00 PM
Martin, Tenn. | Skyhawk Baseball Field (500)
Tennessee Tech at UT Martin | Saturday, Apr. 23, 3:00 PM
Martin, Tenn. | Skyhawk Baseball Field (500)
Tennessee Tech at UT Martin | Sunday, Apr. 24, 1:00 PM
Martin, Tenn. | Skyhawk Baseball Field (500)
TENNESSEE TECH GOLDEN EAGLES
2022 Record: 20-14
2022 OVC Record: 4-5
Head Coach: Matt Bragga
TTU: 466-406-2 (16th Season)
Career: 517-482-3 (19th Season)
STATS LEADERS
AVG: Jason Hinchman (.381)
2B: Gabe Lacy (10)
3B: Ed Johnson / Austin Turner (1)
HR: Jason Hinchman (15)
RBI: Jason Hinchman (43)
R: Ed Johnson (38)
BB: Hayden Gilliland (24)
SLG%: Jason Hinchman (.748)
OB%: Jason Hinchman (.470)
SB: Ed Johnson / Austin Turner (3)
ERA: Brock Myers (3.41)
W: Connor Adams (4)
APP: Colt Taylor (14)
IP: Peyton Calitri (57.0)
K: Peyton Calitri (42)
BAA: Peyton Calitri (.244)
SV: Jackson Berry (2)
UT MARTIN SKYHAWKS
2022 Record: 8-24
2022 OVC Record: 1-11
Head Coach: Ryan Jenkins
UTM: 68-135 (5th Season)
Career: Same
STATS LEADERS
AVG: Jack Culumovic (.279)
2B: Wil LaFollette (9)
3B: 3 players tied (1)
HR: Casey Harford / Wil LaFollette (4)
RBI: Casey Harford (20)
R: Casey Harford (19)
BB: Will Smith (17)
SLG%: Casey Harford (.463)
OB%: Jack Culumovic (.400)
SB: Hunter McLean (5)
ERA: Rhett Fetner (3.27)
W: Rhett Fetner (4)
APP: Baylor Jones (15)
IP: Rhett Fetner (41.1)
K: Rhett Fetner (40)
BAA: Rhett Fetner (.209)
SV: Blake Davis (3)
Photo by Thomas Corhern
