CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team halted a late rally by Southeast Missouri State Saturday to win the Ohio Valley Conference opening series finale between the two teams, 6-5, at the Southeast Softball Complex in Cape Girardeau.
The Skyhawks erupted for five runs in the first two innings of Sunday’s contest to take an early lead in the game. Kyla Harley and Kennedy Brown both stole home to score, in the first and second, respectively, and were part of UT Martin’s season-high seven stolen bases on the day.
Dylan Scott drove one run in the second, while two more Skyhawks scored on an error by Southeast Missouri later in the frame. Jordyn Hustey drove in the sixth and final run of the day for UT Martin, when she doubled to score Dylan Scott in the fifth.
However, in the sixth inning, the Redhawks began their rally with a two-run homerun from Gracie Luna. In the seventh, Brookly Saysoff drove in two more runs on a single for Southeast Missouri and then scored on an error by UT Martin during Luna’s at-bat, to bring the Redhawks within one at 6-5.
Despite the late run by Saysoff, Ashtyn Green who re-entered the game with one out in the seventh, got the final two outs to seal the win and stop the SEMO rally. Green, who started the day for UT Martin in the circle, picked up the save by allowing no runs, hits, or walks over the first inning of the game and the final two-thirds of the seventh.
Natalie Kreuziger nabbed her first collegiate win Sunday by giving up only two runs on three hits with three strikeouts over 4.2 innings. Offensively, Carly Ward was a perfect 3-for-3 in the finale, while Harley stole a team season-high three bases.
The Skyhawks return home to the friendly confines of Bettye Giles Field Mar. 15 and 16 to host Lindenwood in another OVC series. The two teams will play a doubleheader Saturday at 2 p.m., followed by a single game Sunday at Noon.
