A Night of Momentum
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s baseball squad captured its first Ohio Valley Conference regular‑season championship on Thursday, defeating UT Martin 8‑2 in a game that underscored the team’s resilience and depth.
The Skyhawks drew first blood in the opening inning when TJ Grines launched a solo home run, but the Cougars answered swiftly in the third with a run from Cooper Eggert that knotted the score.
Ryan Niedzwiedz then delivered a two‑run double, flipping the lead and putting SIUE ahead early.
Joshua Heyder’s bat heated up next, smashing a two‑run homer that stretched the advantage to 5‑1, a blow that seemed to shift momentum irrevocably.
Spencer Stearns, the SIUE starter, silenced the Skyhawks’ bats by allowing just two runs over six innings while striking out seven, a performance that anchored the team’s pitching staff.
Reliever Joseph Martin shut down the opposition over two flawless innings, fanning two batters and preserving the lead.
Heyder added a second homer to leadoff the eighth, extending the cushion, and Sean Kang followed with an RBI single that pushed the score further.
Gage Franck capped the rally with a sacrifice squeeze bunt that brought home another run, while Easton Harris closed the game with a scoreless ninth.
Across the lineup, players such as Andrew Lawrence, Ethan Willoughby, Colten Payton and TJ Dunsford each collected two hits, underscoring the team’s balanced attack.
The Cougars will look to extend their winning streak when they meet UT Martin again on Friday at Simmons Baseball Complex, aiming to finish the series unbeaten.