MARTIN, Tenn – UT Martin built an early lead and held on for a 10-6 win over SIUE in Ohio Valley Conference baseball Sunday at Skyhawk Field. UTM won two of the three games to win the serie.

SIUE is 10-6 overall and now 2-4 in OVC play. UT Martin is 9-20 overall and 4-2 in the OVC.

"We fell behind early and were never really able to get back into the game," SIUE Head Coach Sean Lyons said. "UT Martin continued to add on and eventually it was too much to overcome."

The Skyhawks knocked out SIUE starter Taylor Bruninga (1-2) with a four-run first inning. Bruninga allowed the four runs on four hits and three walks. He did not strike out a batter. Garrett Helsel allowed four runs in 1 2/3 innings of relief.

UT Martin went up 5-0 before SIUE got on the board in the third inning. John Stallcup's first career home run made it 5-1 in the third.

Three runs in the bottom of the third and another in the fifth made it 9-1

Brennan Orf hit a two-run homer, his team-leading seventh of the year, and Avery Owusu-Asiedu hit a solo shot in the sixth inning to cut the lead to 9-4.

It was 10-4 in the ninth when Brayden Brewer singled and Ethan Willoughby followed with his second homer of the year for the final score.  

"It was nice to see Braedyn Brewer and Ethan Willoughby both come off the bench and take good at-bats," Lyons added.

Spencer Smith, Hayden Cooper and Gunner Millsap combined to throw the last two innings without allowing a run.

UT Martin outhit SIUE 10-8. No Cougar player had more than a single hit.

SIUE is scheduled to play host to Saint Louis Tuesday at Simmons Complex before Eastern Illinois comes to Edwardsville for a weekend OVC series.