FRIDAY'S SCORES
@UT Martin 1, Austin Peay 0
UT MARTIN 1, AUSTIN PEAY 0
MARTIN, Tenn.- Reigning Ohio Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week Alexis Groet took care of business in the series opener on Friday afternoon, giving the University of Tennessee at Martin softball team an early advantage against visiting Austin Peay with her third shutout of the season en route to a 1-0 victory.
The Skyhawks improved to 25-14 on the season while moving to 14-10 in league play with the win.
While UT Martin tallied six hits on the afternoon, it was the performance of its standout in the circle which stole the headlines. Groet picked up her 12th win of the season while recording her third shutout to drop her ERA to an OVC-best 1.28. The righty struck out seven in the contest to bring her season total up to 105 while allowing just one walk and three hits.
Offensively three different players accumulated the team’s six base hits. Paige ClarkR, Shyanne Sheffield and Maddi Long each registered two hits each in the contest while Sheffield was perfect on the afternoon – with one additional walk.
The game would remain scoreless until the bottom of the third inning when the Skyhawks scored the game’s lone run. Wasting very little time, Clark ripped an opposite field triple into right center on the first pitch of the frame. The next at-bat saw Sheffield work an eight-pitch walk before a groundout on the ensuing play scored Clark to break the scoreless tie.
That run would be all the Skyhawks would need behind the strong outing by Groet who retired the first 11 Governor batters in order. It wasn’t until the top of the fourth inning when Lexi Osowski singled to centerfield to break up the no-hitter. From there Groet would face just three batters above the minimum throughout the remained of the game before securing the shutout.