MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Dylan Brown had another solid outing on Saturday, but Old Dominion Baseball couldn’t provide him with any run support as the Monarchs fell 6-0 to UT Martin.
The reigning Sun Belt Pitcher of the Week got into some early trouble with one out and runners on the corners in the first inning, but he recorded a strikeout looking and induced a ground out to short to get out of the inning.
The Monarchs (2-7) had a runner on second in each of the first three innings, but could not manufacture a run. The Skyhawks (4-5) applied pressure again in the fourth with one out and a runner on second, but Brown again kept UT Martin off the board with a fly out to center field and a ground out to third.
The lefthander then struck out the side in the fifth. He walked the leadoff man in the sixth, who then stole second, but Brown answered the call yet again with a pair of ground outs and his seventh strikeout of the day.
Marco Levari took over in the seventh and finished the frame without any issues, but the Skyhawks loaded the bases in the eighth on a single to left, a hit batter, and a bunt single. ODU brought in Alex Hunt, but he walked the next batter as UT Martin opened the scoring. Jonah Katsaboulas made it 3-0 with a two-RBI single up the middle, and JT Popick drove in another run with a ground out to short. Frank Micallef continued the damage with an RBI single to left and the Skyhawks led 5-0 in the middle of the eighth.
In the home half of the inning, Luke Waters reached on an error by the UT Martin second baseman, but Kainen Jorge went down swinging and Maverick Stallings grounded into a double play.
UTM pushed its lead to 6-0 in the ninth as Jalen Fithian singled to right, stole second, moved up to third on a fly ball to center field, and came home on a ground out to second. The Monarchs then went down in order to end the game.
Levari (0-1) received the loss after giving up three runs on two hits and one walk. He recorded two strikeouts in one inning in relief. Alex Hunt was responsible for two runs on as many hits and one walk, and Frankie Wright allowed one run on one hit.
Young went 1-for-2 at the plate, Stallings finished 1-for-3 with a walk, Morales also had a 1-for-3 day, and Jorge ended up 1-for-4 for ODU’s other hit. The Monarchs combined for four hits in the game, but gave up nine hits to the Skyhawks.
The Monarchs wrap up this weekend’s round robin tournament against host Middle Tennessee on Sunday at 1 p.m.