By Brandon Burke, UT Martin Sports Information
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Perhaps the most astounding performance of his collegiate career three days ago on the road, sophomore stud Rhett Fetner was selected as the Ohio Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week for his preventative efforts versus Central Arkansas, voted on by league officials Monday afternoon.
A junior-college transfer from Roanoke, Alabama – spending last spring at Chattahoochee Valley CC in Phoenix City – Fetner has solidified his placement as the Skyhawks’ #1 hurler in 2022 with a magnificent showing last Friday against the Bears in Conway. Helping UTM secure their first road victory over UCA in two decades, the second-year pitcher progressed through all nine innings while simultaneously shutting out the opposition.
Cementing his status as the first pitcher wearing a UT Martin uniform to manage both a complete game and shutout in the same outing since 2016, Fetner would not be denied during the team’s fifth win of the semester. Striking out four of 32 batters faced while giving up just four hits and two walks, the sophomore picked up his third consecutive individual win while lowering his opponents’ batting average to a mere .217 on the year.
Now holding a 3.46 ERA across his five appearances, Fetner has emerged as one of the brightest newcomers in the OVC on the mound, striking out a team-high 21 players thus far despite tossing at least 11 more innings than anyone else on the roster.
Throwing against 92 separate players in 2022, the Skyhawk Game 1 starter has only given up two extra-base hits on zero homers, gaining the personal W in his last three starts (all on the road) versus Alabama State, North Alabama, and Central Arkansas last weekend.
Allowing his team to outscore the other side by a combined margin of 20-6 whenever he has stepped onto the mound to begin, Fetner’s christening as OVC Pitcher of the Week puts the icing on the cake of a fantastic Friday achievement, the 25th player to throw a complete game since the school joined the NCAA Division I ranks back in 1993 and the 12th to do so in a nine-inning shutout.
With 26 innings of work to his credit thus far, Fetner will likely return to the spotlight next Friday in the Skyhawks’ series-opener at Western Carolina in Cullowhee. Before then, however, UT Martin will host Southern Illinois on Tuesday evening for the 15th non-conference duel of the young season.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information