The SIU baseball team had the UT-Martin Skyhawks right where it wanted them, but the wheels fell off in the final frame.

Junior closer Colten Selvey retired the first two batters in the bottom of the ninth, but walked two batters and hit another before allowing a walkoff single to junior second baseman Nick Pribble.

SIU (3-16) scored a season-high 7 runs, but Pribble’s single gave the Skyhawks (4-12, 2-4) the 8-7 win.

A two-run double by junior catcher Taylor Martin highlighted a four-run first inning by SIU. 

The Skyhawks pushed across 2 runs in the bottom of the third off junior pitcher Alex Lesiak.

Freshman third baseman Greg Lambert’s first career home run capped a two-run fourth for the Salukis. Senior center fielder Taylor Douglas answered in the bottom of the frame with a two-run bomb for UTM.

Freshman shortstop Chase Slone drove in a run in the top of the fifth to make the score 7-4 in favor of the Salukis.

Lesiak allowed 4 runs in 4 innings pitched. Sophomore Chad Whitmer replaced him and retired the first eight batters he faced.

Whitmer struck out the first three batters of the seventh inning, but a wild pitch allowed senior first baseman Nico Zych to reach first. A walk to sophomore catcher Luis Paublini and a double by sophomore DH Austin Taylor cut the Saluki lead to one run.

Sophomore Anthony Shimkus relieved Whitmer with two outs in the seventh and held UTM scoreless in 1 1/3 innings.

Junior pitcher Patrick Bernard was the only Skyhawk pitcher to last more than two innings. The UTM closer held SIU scoreless in four innings of relief to pick up the win.

Six Salukis recorded two hits en route to a season-high 14 safeties for SIU.

SIU hosts Wichita State in a three-game series at Itchy Jones Stadium this weekend to open Missouri Valley Conference play.

Thomas Donley can be reached at [email protected] or at 536-3311 ext. 269.