MARTIN, Tenn. – In a tale of two games, the University of Tennessee at Martin softball team exploded for 10 runs in the series opener against Ohio Valley Conference rival Morehead State en route to a 10-0 run-rule victory before being shutout in the second half of the twinbill by a 1-0 margin.
The Skyhawks (25-19, 10-10 OVC) continued a trend this season where in the squad’s four series victories that they win Game 1 before falling short in Game 2. UT Martin will hope the past is a view into its future as the team has eventually found a way to win the series in the finale – which will be contested on Sunday afternoon.
UT Martin tallied 13 hits on the day – including 11 in the series opener alone. Extra base hits were aplenty for the Skyhawks as the team tallied three doubles and three home runs on Saturday on the way to a big win in the series opener.
Infielder Alli Robinson paced the team with a three-hit day – including a two-run home run. The senior trio of Anna Hazlewood, Maddi Long and Katie Dreiling also tallied a pair of base knocks each while Long and Avry Blume joined Robinson by stroking home runs.
The pitching staff allowed just one run on the day as Dreiling picked up her seventh win of the season after tossing a five-inning shutout while striking out six. Then in the second game, Brooklynn Linneman earned the hard-fought loss after striking out four and allowing just one run in a complete-game effort.
Morehead State (11-22, 5-15 OVC) snapped an eight-game losing streak with the team’s shutout victory. Jessie Begley picked up her sixth win of the season after scattering two hits over seven scoreless frames.
Today’s action saw UT Martin score six of its 10 runs in the bottom of the second inning of the series opener. Small-ball saw Kiersten Nixon score the game’s opening run with a bunt single to drive in the runner from third base before a pair of two-run doubles by Hazlewood and Kaci Fuller broke the game open. The Skyhawks capped off a six-run inning later in the frame as Robinson dumped a single into the left-center gap.
A solo blast by Blume highlighted the third inning before a pair of home runs by Robinson and Long put the game away in the bottom of the fourth inning to give UT Martin a 10-0 advantage.
Then in the second game of the day, Begley kept the Skyhawks off-balance from the first inning on. The game saw its lone run cross the plate in the top of the third inning when an RBI-double by Sela Pickford proved to be the difference in the game as Morehead State tallied the only run it needed.
The two squads will compete for the series-deciding game on Sunday, Apr. 21. Prior to the scheduled 1 p.m. first pitch from Bettye Giles Field, the Skyhawks will honor the team’s 10 seniors in a pregame ceremony beginning at 12:45 p.m.
