JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – After seeing a three-run lead slip away in the top of the ninth inning, the University of North Alabama rallied for two runs of its own in the bottom of the frame as the Lions picked up a 7-6 win over Tennessee-Martin to split a double-header with the Skyhawks at Jim Case Stadium. UNA was shutout 1-0 in the opener.
After being shutout for 24 consecutive innings, UNA finally got on the scoreboard in the second inning of game two and led 5-2 entering the ninth inning. After UTM took a 6-5 lead, UNA's Davis Elliott singled to start the bottom of the ninth and Tate Mathis tripled to tie the game. A Peyton Thomas single then drove in Mathis with the winning run.
Hunter Davidson (1-0) got the win, pitching just one third of an inning in relief.
Down 2-0 in the nightcap, UNA tied it with two runs in the second inning and added three more in the third for its first lead of the series.
UTM took a 1-0 lead with three singles in the first inning and scored the second on walk, single and sacrifice fly in the second.
Tate Mathis and Peyton Thomas got back-to-back singles for UNA in the bottom of the second and Reid Singewald sacrificed them over to second and third. Drew Hudson reached on a sacrifice bunt that scored Mathis and Peyton Sockwell followed with a sac bunt that scored Thomas to tie the game.
In the third, Reid Homan was hit by pitch and Davis Elliott singled to start the inning. Mathis drove in Homan with an RBI single, giving UNA a 3-2 lead. Elliott and Mathis then pulled off a double steal and an errant throw by UTM's catcher allowed Elliott to score. A Thomas ground-out drove in Mathis with the final run of the inning.
UTM rallied in the top of the ninth with four consecutive hits off UNA reliever Keegan Foge to tie the game at 5-5. A sacrifice fly by Eli Whitley then drove in the go-ahead run at 6-5.
UNA starter Jacob Laws allowed just two runs on five hits over five and a third innings. He walked three and struckout five. Foge allowed four runs on five hits over two innings before Davidson came on to end the ninth inning rally. .
The Skyhawks got the only run of the opening game in the top of the first inning as Casey Harford reached on a two-base error and scored on an RBI-single by Ethan Whitley.
UNA starter Colin Chamblin (0-1) took the loss despite only allowing the unearned run on five hits in four and a third innings.
Chamblin battled out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth inning after allowing a single and two walks. With one out he struckout Reid Pope and then got retired Tyson Cox on a fly-out to end the threat.
UTM then loaded the bases again off Chamblin in the fifth inning with two outs before Bryant Claunch came on to record back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning.
Claunch retired the first 10 batters that he faced and finished the game with four and two-thirds scoreless innings, allowing four hits and striking out eight.
UNA managed a final threat in the bottom of the ninth inning with singles from Ben Kiefer and Tate Mathis with one out. Peyton Sockwell and Reid Singewald both struckout to end the game.
Sam Folks (1-0) got the win for UTM, pitching six shutout innings and allowing just three hits with one walk and five strikeouts.
Nick Wohlbold got the save, pitching three complete innings and allowing no runs on three hits with six strikeouts
