WEDNESDAY'S SCORES
@Lipscomb 8,
Tennessee Tech 3
@Southern Illinois 11,
UT Martin 2 (6)
Memphis 8,
@Murray State 0
@UAB 9,
Jacksonville State 3
Middle Tennessee 8,
@Tennessee State 2
LIPSCOMB 8, TENNESSEE TECH 3
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Home runs for Alexis Trimiar and Gabby LaSala weren’t enough on Wednesday afternoon as the Tennessee Tech softball team took a tough 8-3 defeat to Lipscomb on the Draper Diamond.
The Lady Bisons (21-11-1) held the Golden Eagles to just three hits – the two homers and a double for Ashley McGowan – as Megan Gray went the distance, walking four and striking out six along with the three earned runs.
Alyssa Arden fell to 7-6 on the season as she allowed six runs – five earned – on seven hits in four innings of work. She walked four and struck out one. Kayla Hughes came on in relief and threw the final two frames, allowing two runs on four hits, walking three and striking out one.
Tech took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second as LaSala walked on an eight-pitch at-bat to lead off the frame, then, with one down after a Hallie Davis pop-up to short, Trimiar hit her second home run of the season to left center field.
However, Lipscomb answered with a pair of runs in the home half of the second as Destinee Brewer hit a two-run single to second base, driving in Graysen Gladden and Jenna Pealor. The Lady Bison added three more runs in the third as Pealor had an RBI double to right center, driving in Jordan Fortel, then Gladden tripled to drive in Pealor and Khayla Turner.
Fortel later drove in a run in the bottom of the fourth to make it a 6-2 game for the Lady Bisons.
LaSala hit a solo home run in the sixth inning for her sixth of the season and fourth homer in the last three games.
Lipscomb concluded its scoring as Fortel and Gladden hit RBI singles in the bottom of the sixth.
Tech (12-13) returns to action on Friday as it hosts Eastern Illinois in a doubleheader, starting at 4 p.m. from the Tech Softball Field.
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 11, UT MARTIN 2
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Freshman infielder Kallie Pickens tallied the first home run of her young Skyhawk career to highlight the afternoon as the University of Tennessee at Martin softball team dropped a road contest at regional foe Southern Illinois on Wednesday afternoon, 11-2.
The Skyhawks (22-12) struggled offensively on the day by tallying just five hits. Making the most of her performance was Pickens who stroked a two-run home run in the top of the fifth inning for the team’s lone scoring output. Other Skyhawks of note were Paige Clark, Alli Fulcher and Georgia Land. Clark paced the squad with two hits on the day while Fulcher and Land each tallied a base hit.
All four Skyhawk pitchers saw action in the contest with sophomore Caitlin Karo (5-3) being credited with the loss after allowing four earned runs in two innings of work. Hannah Ridolfi, Lexi Ray and Erin Gallagher combined to toss the final 3.1 innings of work – allowing five runs.
UT Martin will return to action this weekend when playing host to OVC foes Eastern Kentucky (March 29) and Morehead State (March 31) with doubleheaders on Friday and Sunday, respectively.
UAB 9, JACKSONVILLE STATE 3
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - One big inning lifted UAB to a 9-3 win over the Jacksonville State softball team on Wednesday night at Mary Bowers Field.
The Gamecocks (19-8) got a solid start in the circle from freshman Lexi Androlevich, who left the game with a 3-1 lead in the sixth. The Blazers (12-19) would score eight in that inning to turn a two-run deficit into a six-run win.
In just the second career start and third-career appearance for Androlevich, the Lake Butler, Fla., native tossed five innings, allowing three runs on six hits. She bested her previous career high in innings pitched and ended up with a no decision.
For JSU at the plate, seniors Amber Jones and Hayley Sims each went 2-for-4 to lead a nine-hit attack. Jones reached three times and drove in a run. Senior Lex Hull and sophomore Jada Terry had the other RBI for the Gamecocks.
Junior Alexus Jimmerson suffered the loss in relief for JSU, surrendering four runs and failing to record an out. Nicole Rodriguez gave up two before Reagan Watkins came in to get the final two outs of the Blazers' big inning.
JSU seemed to take control of the game in the fifth, when the Gamecocks plated three runs to take a 3-1 lead. The Blazers then rallied in their final at bat to win the onoy meeting scheduled between the two teams this season.
The Gamecocks return home for a key weekend of Ohio Valley Conference play. They will get it started with a doubleheader on Friday vs. SIUE before wrapping it up with a Sunday twinbill vs. Eastern Illinois. Both days start at 1 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on ESPN+.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE 9, TENNESSEE STATE 2
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee State stepped out of conference play to take on Middle Tennessee in a midweek matchup at Tiger Field on Wednesday evening. The Tigers scored first, but was not able to hang on, falling 9-2 to the visiting Blue Raiders.
Erica O’Kane earned a one out walk in the bottom of the second inning and advanced moved to third base on a walk to Katie Schneider and a single by Lauren Farias. A batter later, the Tigers dented the scoreboard on a Blue Raider miscue. Patton Akers lined out to the MT second baseman who tried to double off Schneider at second. The errant throw allowed O’Kane to score from third.
The Blue Raiders evened the score at 1-1 in the fourth and took the lead for good with three runs in the sixth and five runs in the seventh.
The Tigers added a run in the seventh as Reese Weber drove in Sarah Snell, who tried to begin a two out rally with her first career triple.
Jessina Espinoza (0-4) entered in the fourth inning and was tagged with loss as she surrendered two runs, one earned, on three walks.
MEMPHIS 8, MURRAY STATE 0
MURRAY, Ky. - Murray State softball returned to Racer Field after a seven-game road trip to take on Memphis on Wednesday afternoon. The midweek battle would mark the third meeting between the two sides in 2019, with the season series split at one game apiece entering Wednesday's competition. Coming up short in the final game of the season between the two sides, the Racers fell to the Tigers 8-0 on a gorgeous afternoon in Murray, Kentucky.
Memphis would put up the first runs of the ballgame in the opening frame, after an RBI double from Delaney Smith scored Gracie Morton, who reached on a walk earlier in the inning. Smith would later come around to score to account for the second Tiger run, as they would hold a 2-0 advantage through the end of one inning of action.
After scoreless second and third innings from both sides, Memphis would put together a colossal six-run fourth frame to take a commanding lead. Stretching their lead to 8-0, they would hold that margin upon entering the bottom of the fifth inning.
Needing to push across a run to keep the game alive in the home half of the fifth, the Racers looked to be in business after Brenna Finck ripped a one-out double to left center to put a runner in scoring position for Murray State. Jensen Striegel would follow with a single and later advance to second on a wild pitch as the Racers would occupy second and third with one down in inning. After the Tigers retired the next Racer batter, Lillie Goetz would draw a two-out walk to load the bases for Murray State in a must-score situation.
As Karli Perque looked to finish what she started in the circle for Memphis, she would leave the bases loaded after recording the final out of the inning to secure an 8-0 victory for the visiting Tigers.
The Racers saw exceptional performances from the top of two spots in their order as Brenna Finck (2-3, 2B) and Jensen Striegel (2-2) each collected a pair of hits in the midweek defeat.
Murray State looks to build on their perfect start against conference competition on Friday, as they return to the field with an OVC doubleheader against Tennessee State back at Racer Field in Murray, Kentucky.