SATURDAY SCORES
UT Martin 9, Alabama A&M 3
UT Martin 6, Evansville 1
Southeastern Louisiana 2,
Jacksonville State 1
Louisiana 8,
Jacksonville State 2
Eastern Kentucky 7, College of Charleston 1
Eastern Kentucky 13, College of Charleston 0
Austin Peay 6, Western Carolina 2
Austin Peay 9, Mercer 1 (5)
Lipscomb 4,
Murray State 0
Murray State 1, South Alabama 0
@No. 23 Tennessee 7,
Southeast Missouri 0
@No. 23 Tennessee 5
, Southeast Missouri 3
@Norfolk State 8,
Morehead State 6
Morehead State 9, @Norfolk State 5
UT MARTIN 6, ALABAMA A&M 3; UT MARTIN 6, EVANSVILLE 1
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team wrapped up its first weekend of competition with a perfect slate, sweeping Day 2 of the Black and Gold Tournament with wins over Alabama A&M (9-3) and Evansville (6-1).
The Skyhawks (4-0) kept their bats hot on Day 2, posting a team batting average of .448 while tallying six extra base hits and 14 RBIs in the doubleheader sweep. The squad also used their feet by swiping five bases in the two games. On the pitching and defensive side, UT Martin posted a 2.00 ERA on the afternoon while committing just one error.
Freshman Kaci Fuller was spectacular once again out of the leadoff spot, going 7-for-8 with a double and two RBIs while tallying three stolen bases. Eight different Skyhawks tallied multiple hits on the day – including three hits each for the quartet of Maddi Long, Kallie Pickens, Chelsey Gore and Macey Neal while combining for nine RBIs between them.
Sophomore Alexis Groet (1-0, 0.00 ERA) notched her first Skyhawk victory against Alabama A&M, striking out seven and allowing just one hit in four innings of work. Junior Seeley Layne (1-0, 1.24 ERA) started against Evansville and earned the victory after striking out six and allowing one run in 4.2 innings of work. Hannah Ridolfi appeared in relief in the first game of the day, allowing three earned runs in three innings while Erin Gallagher struck out six in 2.1 innings of relief in the second contest.
Game 3: UT Martin 9, Alabama A&M 3
UT Martin got the morning contest started with a run in the first inning as Fuller led off the game with a single through the right side before moving into scoring position by swiping second. Her time on second was short as she came home to score on a RBI single by Gore.
The Skyhawks added to their margin in the top of the fourth with a pair of runs. A leadoff single by Aalia Bivens was followed by Pickens’ third double of the season to put the tandem in scoring position. From there Neal drove in the pair with a single to give the Skyhawks a 3-0 lead.
A two-out rally resulted in four runs for UT Martin in the fifth inning as Pickens reached on a single before Neal pulled her first career home run down the right field line. Back-to-back base hits by Long and a double by Fuller placed a pair of runners in scoring position before Gore drove in the pair to make it a 7-0 contest.
After Groet posted four dominating innings, the Skyhawks turned to Ridolfi in relief who stumbled in the final inning. Alabama A&M led off the bottom of the seventh with a home run down the left field line by Rachael McKinney to break the shutout. The Bulldogs would add two more runs in the bottom of the seventh on RBIs by pinch hitter Gabriela Belyeu and Serena Herbranson to bring the final margin to 7-3.
Game 4: UT Martin 6, Evansville 1
Evansville jumped out to an early lead in the contest as Eryn Gould opened the game with a triple to right field before coming home to score on a sacrifice fly by Halie Fain.
UT Martin evened the game up in the bottom of the third inning. Much like in the first game of the day, Fuller led off the inning with a single before swiping second base to move into scoring position. After getting moved over on a sacrifice bunt, the freshman scampered home on a sacrifice bunt RBI by Pickens to tie the contest at 1-1.
The Skyhawks capitalized on some mistakes in the bottom of the fourth to take their first advantage. The first two batters would reach base in the frame on a hit by pitch and an error before being moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. Shyanne Sheffield put the squad on top with a bunt single to score Neal before a two-RBI single by Fuller gave the Skyhawks a 4-1 advantage.
The home team on the scoreboard added to their margin in the bottom of the sixth inning as Kaitlyn Kelley cranked a solo home run. The Skyhawks would add their final run of the afternoon on a wild pitch to plate freshman Anna Blanton and make it a 6-1 contest.
UT Martin will return to action next week at the Tennessee Invitational running Feb. 25-27.
SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA 2, JACKSONVILLE STATE 1; LOUSIANA 8, JACKSNVILLE STATE 2
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Jacksonville State softball team dropped a one-run game to Southeastern Louisiana and fell late to No. 9 Louisiana on Saturday at the UAB Green & Gold Tournament.
A walk-off home run in the seventh from Southeastern Louisiana's Briahna Bennett handed the Gamecocks a 2-1 defeat in their first game of the day. In the nightcap, the Ragin' Cajuns scored six runs over the final two innings to pull away for the 8-2 win.
The Gamecocks missed on opportunities in the first game of the day against the Lions, stranding 11 baserunners, including three in the third inning. JSU had at least one hit in every inning but the fifth.
The third inning started with a two-out, solo homer from Megan Fortner that put the first run of the game on the board. Her second blast of the season cleared the wall in left and put JSU up 1-0.
Lexi Androlevich held the Lions off the board for the first five innings, but a Cameron Goodman RBI single in the sixth tied the game.
The Gamecocks got a leadoff single from Savannah Sudduth in the seventh, and a one-out walk to Keeli Bobbitt pushed her into scoring position. They couldn't get the run across, setting up SLU's game winner in the home half.
Androlevich started and went 5 and 1/3 innings in the circle, holding the Lions to a run on six hits. She struck out four and walked six before Hannah Brown came on in relief in the sixth. Brown (0-1) suffered the loss, allowing a run on one hit in one inning of work.
Heather Zumo (3-0) went the distance for Southeastern Louisiana, allowing a run on nine hits and a pair of walks in her seven frames of action. She struck out five in the win.
In the second game, ninth-ranked Louisiana scored a run in each of the first two innings before JSU starter Reagan Watkins settled in and kept the Ragin' Cajuns off the board for the next three frames.
Watkins helped her cause at the plate in the fourth, when her two-out single drove in Shelby Newsome and cut the Ragin' Cajuns lead in half.
A two-run sixth made it a 4-1 game before Jada Terry's RBI grounder in the sixth drove in Fortner and pulled the Gamecocks within two at 4-2.
Louisiana pulled away in the seventh, thanks to a two-run homer from Taylor Roman and a two-run single from Alissa Dalton that put the final 8-2 score on the board.
Watkins (0-1) suffered the loss in the circle after allowing six runs on 12 its in 6 and 1/3 innings of work. She struck out four and walked four. Nicole Rodriguez recorded the final two outs for JSU, surrendering two runs on a hit and two walks.
Kandra Lamb (1-0) earned the win after holding JSU to a run on two hits in 4 and 2/3 innings that also saw her walk three and strike out three. Casey Dixon allowed JSU's other run in her one inning of relief work.
JSU will wrap up its weekend in the Magic City on Sunday with a 12 pm doubleheader at Samford. Both games will be streamed live on ESPN+.
EASTERN KENTUCKY 7, COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 1; EASTERN KENTUCKY 13, COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 3
CHARLESTON, S.C. - The Eastern Kentucky University softball team got back on track sweeping a pair of contests against the College of Charleston on Saturday in Charleston.
Eastern Kentucky (2-2) won game one 7-1, before knocking off Charleston in game two 13-3.
In game one the College of Charleston (0-2) got on the board first in the bottom half of the first inning. A pair of walks and an RBI single by Shealyn Starks gave the Cougars an early 1-0 lead.
That lead would hold all the way until the seventh inning.
The Colonels were down to their last out when freshman Jasmine Miller doubled to left field to bring home fellow freshman Kara Gunter, tying the game at 1-1 and sending it to extra innings.
That is when the Colonel bats exploded.
EKU scored six runs. An Ariyana Miranda sac fly and back-to-back RBI singles pushed the Colonels’ lead to three, 4-1. Mollie Paulick did the rest of the damage. Paulick sent an 0-2 pitch over the left center field fence to extend the lead to 7-1.
Paulick (1-0) picked up the win in the circle tossing three and one-third innings of scoreless softball with five strikeouts. Samantha Reynoso tossed three and one-third innings as well with six strikeouts.
Zoe Mihalicz went 2-for-4 with one RBI. Paulick went 1-for-2 with one home run and three RBIs.
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In game two, the Colonels struck for one in first, one in the third, four in the third, three in the sixth and four in the seventh to cruise past Charleston.
Sammi Miller got things started with a leadoff double in the top of the first. After Jeanay Riley walked, a sac bunt by Miranda and a ground out by Vianna Barron brought home Miller and gave Eastern the early 1-0 lead.
In the top of the third inning, Riley got things started with a double to left center, her first college hit. Barron followed suit with a double to left field that brought home Riley and gave Eastern a 2-0 lead.
After a single by Jasmine Miller and a walk by Sanders, Sammi Miller again delivered with her second double of the game to score two and push the EKU lead to 4-0. A couple walks and a wild pitch pushed the lead to 6-0 after three and a half innings.
AUSTIN PEAY 6, WESTERN CAROLINA 2; AUSTIN PEAY 9, MERCER 1
TROY, Ala. – Austin Peay State University opened the 2021 softball season with a pair of wins, Saturday at the Troy Softball Complex, in the second day of the Troy Invitational, defeating Western Carolina 6-2 in the opened followed by a 9-1 five-inning victory versus Mercer.
In the opener versus Western Carolina, the Govs (2-0) fell behind 1-0 after two innings but rallied to score the next four runs to go up 4-1 on their way to a 6-2 final.
Kelsey Gross (1-0) picked up the win in over a year after missing 2020 with an injury, going the first five innings and giving up six hits, two runs, while striking out one and walking one.
In the nightcap versus Mercer, the two teams were deadlocked 0-0 after three innings before the Govs were able to push across a pair of runs in the fourth inning off an infield hit by Bailey Shorter.
Mercer was able to cut the Govs lead to one, 2-1, with a run in the top of the fifth, but Austin Peay exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, highlighted by a three-run home run by Brett Jackson and a two-run triple by Brooke Pfefferle.
Jordan Benefiel (1-0) in her first collegiate start went the distance, giving up the one run on four hits, while striking out eight and walking none.
LIPSCOMB 4, MURRAY STATE 0; MURRAY STATE 1, SOUTH ALABAMA 0
MOBILE, Ala. - ?A two-game Saturday was on the menu for Murray State softball on the second day of the Jaguar Classic in Mobile, Alabama as the Racers clashed with Lipscomb and South Alabama. The Racers dropped the first contest, a 4-0 defeat to Lipscomb, but prevailed in the nightcap – winning a 1-0 thriller over the host Jaguars.
Game 1 – Lipscomb 4, Murray State 0
Runs were tough to come by for both sides early on in the contest with the game staying scoreless until the fourth when the Bisons broke the stalemate courtesy of an Olivia Ward RBI double to left to give Lipscomb a 1-0 lead.
Riding the momentum, the Bisons added three insurance runs in the following frame by way of a one-run single from Amy Vetula, followed by a two-RBI single off the bat of Presley Leebrick to extend the Lipscomb advantage to 4-0 through the visiting half of the fifth.
The Racers would muster just one hit the rest of the way, as the Bisons came out on top with a final score of 4-0.
Lily Fischer continued to swing a hot bat for the Racers as she was responsible for two of the three Murray State hits in the contest. Logan Braundmeier also went 1-3 for MSU.
In the circle, Jenna Veber tossed four and two-thirds innings, surrendering four earned runs while striking out a pair. After freshman Kamryn Carcich recorded the final out in the fifth, Hannah James would go the rest of the way for the Racers – striking out five in two innings of work while surrendering just one hit.
Game 2 – Murray State 1, South Alabama 0
In what would become the definition of a pitchers' duel in game two of the day, Murray State's Hannah James turned in another dominant performance in the circle to propel her side to victory.
The junior from Nicholasville, Kentucky struck out seven while issuing just one walk as she recorded a complete-game shutout for the Racers to earn her second victory of the campaign.
Sierra Gilmore would be responsible for the only run of the ballgame when she turned an 0-2 offering into a solo home run to give the Racers a 1-0 advantage to open the fourth inning.
James then held the Jaguars to just one hit over the final four frames to preserve the lead and seal a 1-0 victory for Murray State.
Sierra Gilmore finished with two hits in the contest, while Jensen Striegel and Taylor Jackson each collected one apiece.
The home run for Gilmore is her second of the season and the 19th of her career.
With a combined 12 strikeouts over the two games on the day, Hannah James moves into fifth on the Murray State all-time strikeouts list with 198, passing Chelsey Sullivan's 189.
The Racers (2-6) will close the weekend in Mobile with one final game against Butler at the Jaguar Classic on Sunday – first pitch is slated for 10:00 a.m.
TENNESSEE 7, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 0; TENNESSEE 5, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 3
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – #23 Tennessee (4-0) hit five home runs and pitcher Ashley Rogers picked up to wins in a 7-0, 5-3, doubleheader sweep of Southeast Missouri (0-5) Saturday at Sherri Paker Lee Stadium.
SEMO came back from a 2-1 deficit to tie the game with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth inning in game two.
Ashley Emert hit a one-out single and went to third on an ensuing bunt single by Jillian Anderson. After Ashlyn Tucker flied out, Anderson stole second and Emert was able to score on an error. Rachel Anderson followed with a single to get J. Anderson in tying the game at 3-3.
After Rogers entered the game in relief and pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the sixth, Ashley Morgan and Cailin Hannon each homered in the bottom half of the inning to regain a 5-3 advantage for the Lady Vols.
Rogers (3-0) sent UT to its fourth-straigh win when she retired the Redhawks in order again in the seventh.
Both teams had six hits in the nightcap.
R. Anderson finished the doubleheader with her second-straight two-hit game. She is now tied for first all-time with 231 career hits at SEMO.
Ashley Ellis homered to get the Redhawks on the board in the fourth inning. For Ellis, it was her 35 career round-tripper.
Rachel Rook (0-3) took the loss. Rook allowed four runs on four hits, struck out seven and walked two.
UT hit three home runs, including a pair of two-run shots, and Rogers and Callie Turner combined on a three-hit shutout in game one.
The Lady Vols scored two runs in each of the second, third and fourth innings to build their six-run advantage.
Kiki Milloy homered to left field to get UT an early 2-0 lead in the second.
An inning later, UT brought in two more runs on a single by Ally Shipman and a sacrifice fly by Ashley Morgan to extend its margin to 4-0.
Ivy Davis then smacked a two-run home run to center with one out in the fourth inning to up the Lady Vols lead to 6-0.
Davis stepped in and hit her second round-tripper of the game on a solo shot in the bottom of the sixth to cap the scoring.
Rogers (2-0) worked five innings with eight strikeouts and one walk.
Paytience Holman dropped to 0-2 this season. Holman struck out one, walked one and allowed seven runs on nine hits in her first complete game of 2021.
UT outhit SEMO, 9-3, with seven players getting a hit. Davis and Amanda Ayala each posted two hits. Davis also scored two runs and had three RBI as the eighth hitter in the Lady Vols lineup.
Rachel Anderson went 2-for-3 to lead SEMO.
The Redhawks close out the month with a trip to Fayetteville Arkansas for the University of Arkansas Tournament on Feb. 26-28.
NORFOLK STATE 8, MOREHEAD STATE 6; MOREHEAD STATE 9, NORFOLK STATE 5
NORFOLK, Va. - Offense proved to be the name of the game Saturday night as Morehead State softball registered 21 combined hits in its two contests against Norfolk State. The Eagles dropped the first game of the season against Norfolk State, 8-6, before storming back to obtain revenge over the Spartans in a 9-5 nightcap victory.
The doubleheader represented the first action Morehead State has seen since a March 11 home series against Dayton. Norfolk State had most recently defeated Maryland Eastern Shore on March 12 before the pandemic canceled the remaining 2020 season.
Senior Alexis Strother led the Eagles at the plate with four hits in seven plate appearances along with the only home run of the day for Morehead State in the season opener. In the circle, MSU held Norfolk State to a combined .245 batting average in the two contests while striking out 10 Spartan batters.
Saturday's first contest marked the third consecutive season that a Morehead State freshman was the opening day starter as Lennon Spicer threw a complete game in 119 pitches. Following her was Carolyn Alincic who pitched 6.2 innings while only allowing four hits and striking out seven batters on the day.