By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech baseball team closes out its five-game home stand with three contests against in-state rival and Ohio Valley Conference foe UT Martin at Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex starting on Friday evening.

Friday's opener is slated for a 6:00 p.m. CT first pitch, while game two on Saturday will feature a 2:00 p.m. start. The finale with the Skyhawks is set to commence at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.

All three contests are slated to be streamed on ESPN+ with Dylan Vazzano on the call. Admission to all Tech home baseball games is free of charge.

With inclement weather, including rain, expected in the Cookeville area throughout the weekend, fans are encouraged to check TTUSports.com and Tennessee Tech social media for any potential updates to this weekend's schedule.

THE SERIES
Friday's series opener marks the 96th match-up since 1949 between the two programs, with the Golden Eagles owning a 58-37 lead in the series. Tech had a tough go against UT Martin last season, dropping three OVC contests on the road before falling to its in-state rivals in an elimination game in the OVC Tournament.

Competing in Martin last year, the Skyhawks used big early innings in the first two contests to earn wins of 7-2 and 15-6. In the finale, UT Martin went hitless through the first 5.1 innings before breaking through and pulling out an 8-4 victory.

When the two sides squared off in Marion, Ill. for the OVC Tournament, it was the Skyhawks coming out on top in a 3-1 pitcher's duel. The purple and gold scored on a Preston Ford sacrifice fly in the first, but UT Martin answered with a lead-off home run in the fifth to tie the game and a bloop and blast in the sixth to take a 3-1 lead.

LAST TIME OUT
The Golden Eagles enter Friday's series opener after turning in a midweek series sweep over visiting USC Upstate on Tuesday and Wednesday. Tech topped the Spartans by scores of 8-2 and 8-6, kicking off its five-game home stand in style.

In game one, Upstate took an early 2-0 lead thanks to a long ball to right field, but the Golden Eagles quickly responded with a five-spot in the bottom half of the fourth. The purple and gold used speed and patience with timely hitting to get the job done, totaling seven swipes, nine walks, and seven hits. 

Tech's seven steals tied for the second-most in a single game in program history, representing the fifth time the Cookeville crew managed seven and the first time since accomplishing the feat at UT Martin on May 15, 2021. 

The Spartans jumped on top in game two as well, taking a 3-0 advantage into the fourth before the Cookeville crew began its comeback. Tech two runs to cut the deficit to one in the bottom half of the frame before a Nicho Jordan long ball tied the contest in the sixth.

Jordan played hero again in the seventh, ripping a double down the right-field line to clear the bases for three RBI and a 6-3 Tech lead. Following a two-hour and 18-minute lightning delay in the eighth, the Golden Eagles tacked on two more runs for an 8-3 lead. Upstate mounted a rally of its own, scoring three times in the ninth and loading the bases with just one out before the purple and gold closed the contest with a 6-4-3 double play.

THE OPPONENT
The Skyhawks head into the weekend series after dropping a midweek battle with Belmont in Martin on Tuesday. After the two sides fought to a 5-5 tie through five innings, the Bruins pulled away over the next two frames, taking the lead with a run in the sixth before blowing the game open with a six-spot in the seventh for a 12-5 win.

Over the weekend, UT Martin took two of three match-ups against Morehead State in OVC action in Martin, bouncing back from a 20-4 loss in game one. The Skyhawks replied by taking a 4-1 pitcher's duel in game two before finishing the series win off on Saturday with a 13-9 victory in the finale.

CLIMBING THE LEADERBOARD
Four-time Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year Matt Bragga is back for his 19th overall season at the helm of the Golden Eagle program and fourth after making his return to Cookeville in 2022. The Tech legend is starting to climb the OVC's all-time coaching wins list, currently ranked sixth overall. Bragga and TTU Sports Hall of Famer David Mays represent the only pair of coaches from the same school to rank in the league's top eight of OVC wins.

PRESEASON OUTLOOK
The purple and gold were selected to finish third in the OVC in a preseason vote of league head baseball coaches and communications directors, falling behind only defending tournament champion Southeast Missouri and defending regular-season champ Little Rock.

During its 2025 OVC Season Preview, D1baseball.com selected southpaw Jared Herzog as the No. 1 prospect in the league for the 2025 MLB Draft while outfielder Jorsixt Jimenez was ranked 11th. The D1baseball crew listed catcher Mack Whitcomb as the No. 2 prospect from the OVC for the 2026 MLB Draft, right-handed pitcher Jack Brafa No. 7 and right-handed hurler Juan Vargas No. 9. Rookie righty Carter Casabella was selected as an Impact Freshman, sitting at No. 10.

OVC HONORS
Last Monday, junior infielder Eddie Garza picked up the first OVC Player of the Week honor of his career after helping lead the Golden Eagles to a three-game sweep of Southern Indiana. The second baseman hit .667 with three home runs, four runs scored, and nine RBI during the week, slugging a ridiculous 1.417. 

Back on Mar. 24, senior outfielder Nicho Jordan was recognized as the OVC Player of the Week for the first time in his career, slashing .583/.688/.1.417 over four games with three home runs, six RBI, and eight runs scored. After opening Tech's first OVC series at Little Rock 1-for-4, Jordan exploded in the second contest, tallying two home runs (including one of the inside-the-park variety) on a 4-for-4 day with five RBI, five runs, a walk, and a stolen base.

On Feb. 17, sophomore catcher Mack Whitcomb earned his first career OVC Player of the Week nod, batting .385 with five extra-base hits, six RBI, and five runs in a four-game sweep over Le Moyne on opening weekend. He slugged 1.154 while turning in an OPS of 1.625, smashing two long balls along the way.

Twitter: @TNTech_Baseball 
Facebook: /TennesseeTechBaseball 
Instagram: TNTech_Baseball

Current Week Schedule
Tuesday, Apr. 22 | vs. USC Upstate | W, 8-2
Wednesday, Apr. 23 | vs. USC Upstate | W, 8-6
Friday, Apr. 25 | vs. UT Martin | 6:00 p.m. CT
Saturday, Apr. 26 | vs. UT Martin | 2:00 p.m. CT
Sunday, Apr. 27 | vs. UT Martin | 1:00 p.m. CT

TENNESSEE TECH GOLDEN EAGLES
2025 Record: 26-16
2025 OVC Record: 9-6
Head Coach: Matt Bragga
TTU: 552-495-2 (19th Season)
Career: 603-571-3 (22nd Season)

STATS LEADERS
AVG: Mack Whitcomb (.360)
2B: Whitcomb (12)
3B: Jackson Green (2)
HR: Whitcomb (9)
RBI: Whitcomb (36)
R: Whitcomb (38)
BB: Owen Lee (29)
SLG%: Whitcomb (.633)
OB%: Whitcomb (.487)
SB: Nicho Jordan (13)
ERA: Juan Vargas (2.10)
W: Jack Brafa (6)
APP: Drew Mattox (16)
IP: Jaxson Pease (49.1)
K: Pease (40)
BAA: Vargas (.202)
SV: Vargas (6)

UT MARTIN SKYHAWKS
2025 Record: 15-24
2025 OVC Record: 6-8
Head Coach: Ryan Jenkins
UTM: 129-228 (8th Season)
Career: Same

STATS LEADERS
AVG: Brody Capps (.319)
2B: Jalen Fithian (12)
3B: Jordan Hudson (4)
HR: Arderrius Townsend (9)
RBI: Capps (40)
R: Capps / Fithian (32)
BB: Cameron Greene (23)
SLG%: Townsend (.581)
OB%: Townsend (.422)
SB: Fithian (26)
ERA: Kaleb Baskin (4.15)
W: Zach Wager (4)
APP: Mason Shropshire (18)
IP: Jacob Sitton (46.2)
K: Jeb Bartle (37)
BAA: Baskin (.256)
SV: Bartle (3)

Photo by Jim Dillon