BOX SCORE

MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Evansville baseball team fell, 8-3, to UT Martin in a midweek matchup Wednesday night at Skyhawk Park in Martin, Tenn.  Senior Chris Pearson drove in a pair of runs with a two-run home run in the fifth, but the Skyhawks preserved an early lead to earn the victory.
 
Seven Evansville (8-12) players each notched a hit apiece to account for the Aces’ seven hits on the evening, but UE committed two fielding errors that led to a pair of unearned runs.  Redshirt sophomore Kevin Kaczmarski finished 1-for-5 to extend his on-base streak to 38 games and junior David Patton drove in Evansville’s only other run, going 0-for-2 with a pair of walks.
 
UT Martin (8-13)  got to UE starter Ryan Billo (1-2) early in the game, as the Skyhawks plated three runs on five hits in the second inning and added two more in the third to take a 5-0 lead.  Hagen Nelson, Nico Zych and Grant Glasser each came through with RBI singles for UTM in the second, while Haynes doubled in a run and Zych drew a bases-loaded walk in the third.
 
UE cut the lead to 5-3 with a three-run fifth that was highlighted by Pearson’s two-run blast to left.  Sophomore Kyle Pollock reached on an error to start the inning and senior Jason Hockemeyer followed by reaching on a fielder’s choice, before Pearson cleared the bases with his homer.  Later in the frame, Patton coaxed a walk with the bases loaded to bring home redshirt junior Johnny Day for Evansville’s third run.
 
UT Martin added insurance runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth, and Skyhawks’ reliever Carter Smith tossed four scoreless innings out of the bullpen, allowing just two hits, while striking out six.
 
Billo, who took the loss on the mound, was one of seven pitchers used by the Aces.  The senior righty allowed five runs on eight hits and struck out two over 2.2 innings.  Freshman Brent Jurceka was the most effective UE pitcher, as he allowed just one run and struck out two in 3.1 frames of relief.
 
Glassed led UTM by going 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored, Nelson finished 1-for-3 with a pair of RBI and a run scored and Zych drove in two runs with a 1-for-3 effort at the plate.
 
Evansville will open Missouri Valley Conference play this weekend, when it welcomes Creighton to Braun Stadium for a three-game set beginning Friday at 6 p.m.