The University of Tennessee at Martin baseball program will hold its annual First Pitch Dinner at 7:30 p.m., Jan. 26, in the Boling University Center’s Duncan Ballroom. This year’s featured speaker is Chicago Cubs right-handed pitcher Alec Mills, who is the first Skyhawk baseball alum to play in the major leagues.

Mills, a Clarksville native, began his UT Martin career as a walk-on before blossoming into the staff ace. He made his MLB debut with the Kansas City Royals in 2016 after being selected in the 22<sup>nd</sup> round of the 2012 MLB Draft, and he is now entering his third full season with the Cubs organization.

Skyhawk Baseball head coach Ryan Jenkins is in his second season at the helm of the UT Martin program. The Skyhawks return 21 players (including three All-Ohio Valley Conference honorees) and welcome 13 newcomers for the upcoming 2019 campaign, which starts Feb. 15.

Tables for the First Pitch Dinner are available for $200 and single tickets are available for $30. All tips during the evening will benefit the UT Martin baseball program. Those interested in attending are asked to send an RSVP email to Lora McDonald at <a href="mailto:lmcdon13@utm.edu">lmcdon13@utm.edu</a>. Cash, check and credit cards are accepted.

Highlights from Mills’ journey to the Kansas City Royals can be found on <a href="http://www.utm.edu/departments/univrel/_pdfs/CampusScene_Summer-Fall2016(web).pdf">page 16 of the summer/fall 2016 issue of UT Martin’s Campus Scene alumni magazine</a>.

For more information, contact Ryne Rickman, UT Martin director of sports information, at 731-881-7632 or <a href="mailto:rrickman@utm.edu">rrickman@utm.edu</a>.

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