The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball team saw its Ohio Valley Conference Championship campaign end in a heartbreaking walk‑off loss to Lindenwood on Tuesday night, dropping a 4‑3 decision in the ninth inning.
The Skyhawks finished the 2026 season with a 26‑29 record, the most wins in program history, capping a year that exceeded preseason expectations.
A Record‑Breaking Campaign
UT Martin entered the tournament with momentum, having posted a school‑record 26 victories, and opened the game with an early double from Dunsford that set up an RBI single by JT Popick.
Key contributors at the plate included Colten Payton, who led the team with three hits, and Cameron Greene, whose solo home run in the top of the ninth gave the Skyhawks a 4‑3 lead.
Key Performances
TJ Grines stole his 66th base of the season, establishing a new single‑season stolen‑base record for Skyhawk Baseball, while Cason Sharp delivered five solid innings, allowing just two earned runs and striking out two.
Relief efforts were anchored by Jacob Sitton, who tossed a hitless inning with a strikeout, followed by Will Turner’s 2.2 innings of scoreless work, and the combined bullpen contributions of Mason Little and Gabe Bryant.
The Final Inning
Lindenwood tied the game in the eighth, but the Skyhawks responded with a bunt single by Popick in the sixth to extend the lead to two runs.
Turner then retired back‑to‑back scoreless frames, putting the team one out away from advancement before Lindenwood mounted a rally that culminated in a walk‑off hit.
Despite the loss, the performance underscored the team’s resilience and the breakout moments of several young players.
The Skyhawks’ season will be remembered for its historic win total and the emergence of stars such as Payton, Popick, Greene, and Grines, who will shape the program’s future.