COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – With runs at a premium throughout the Ohio Valley Conference matchup, it was a RBI single by Maddi Long in the top of the seventh which proved to be the game-winner and ultimately the series clincher as the University of Tennessee at Martin softball team knocked off Tennessee Tech by a 1-0 margin.
The Skyhawks (23-18, 9-9 OVC) picked up another important series victory as the squad has won four of its six league series this season. UT Martin now holds tie-breaker advantages over Western Illinois, SIUE, Tennessee State and Tennessee Tech when it comes time for OVC Softball Championship seeding.
With each team being limited to just four hits in each team’s column, pitching was impressive for both squads. Kiersten Nixon earned the start and scattered four hits and two strikeouts over 4.1 innings before Katie Dreiling picked up her sixth win of the season – this time in relief – after tossing 2.2 perfect frames.
In the other dugout, Tennessee Tech (17-18, 8-10 OVC) saw Emily York keep the Skyhawks at bay until the seventh inning when she allowed one run in a complete game effort.
Both teams scratched out four base knocks in the contest with Dreiling, Long, Nixon and Avry Blume contributing for the Skyhawks. Meanwhile, the Golden Eagles found hits from Abby Shoulders, Abby Buettner, S.J. Talley and Abbee Klinefelter in the setback.
Neither team found a lot of offensive traction until the top of the seventh inning. A leadoff double by Dreiling kick-started the frame before the two-way athlete was pinch ran for by Kyla Harley. After entering the game, Harley’s time on the bags was limited as Long laced a single to centerfield which allowed the speedster to round third and scoring the eventual game-winning run.
With a one-run advantage in their pocked, the Skyhawks tossed a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the seventh to secure the series victory.
UT Martin returns to action this week with a four-game homestand on the docket, beginning with a non-conference matchup against Rhodes College on Tuesday, Apr. 16. First pitch from Bettye Giles Field is slated for 3 p.m.
