SATURDAY'S SCORES
Austin Peay 5, North Alabama 2
UAB 7,
Austin Peay 3
Belmont 4, Longwood 2
Mississippi State 7,
Belmont 3
Murray State 6, Middle Tennessee 3
Murray State 3, @Mercer 2
Tennessee Tech 10, Pitt 7
Tennessee Tech 8, Cleveland State 3
UT Martin 9, Jakson State 1 (5)
UT Martin 8, Southern 3
Louisiana Tech 10,
Eastern Illinois 3
Southeastern Louisiana 5,
Eastern Illinois 0
UT MARTIN 9, JACKSON STATE 1; UT MARTIN 8, SOUTHERN 3
JACKSON, Miss. – The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team erased a rough day on the opening day of the Capital City Invitational and came out with a mission on Saturday afternoon in tough playing conditions to pick up a sweep of host Jackson State (9-1) and Southern (8-3).
The Skyhawks (7-5) showed off their offensive ability despite the wind chill sitting in the low-30s and the first matchup of the day featuring a weather delay while a fine mist fell for much of the day. UT Martin boasted a .382 batting average with six different players tallying multiple base knocks and combining for eight extra base hits.
The outfield pair of sophomore Kaci Fuller and graduate Paige Clark each tallied four hits on the afternoon. Fuller recorded three singles along with a solo home run and three RBIs on the afternoon. Clark tallied a double and two triples while swiping one stolen base. Anna Hazlewood also wrapped up a nice weekend with a home run and two RBIs while Katie Dreiling also smacked a two-run homer.
The pitching staff was also strong for the Skyhawks as the duo posted a 1.75 ERA and allowed an opponent batting average of .196 in 12 innings. Erin Gallagher picked up her second win of the season against Jackson State after allowing one earned runs in five innings while striking out three. Sophomore Emily Brown garnered her first win of the campaign after posting one of her best performances, allowing two earned runs while striking out four in seven innings of action.
Game 11: UT Martin 9, Jackson State 1 (Five innings)
Jackson State took an early lead in the first inning of Game 1. Back-to-back singles by Huckabee and Arredondo set up a nice scoring opportunity which Gusman made the most of by rattling of the team’s third straight single – this time up the middle – to drive in the game’s first run.
UT Martin fought right back in the top of the second to tie and take the lead. A leadoff single by Hazlewood was followed up by a pair of outfield flies before three consecutive walks as the rain started to fall to Avry Blume, Maddi Long and Anna Blanton tied the game. As the Lady Tigers made a pitching change after the third straight walk, the game then came to a sudden halt with a 30+ minute weather delay. Once both teams returned to action, the Skyhawks took the lead on a passed ball which got away and allowed Blume to score on the play.
The score remained at a one-run margin until the top of the fourth inning when the Skyhawks exploded for five runs on six hits. The innings began with three straight singles by Fuller, Blume and Long before the first out was recorded. After Blume’s single scratched across a run, Clark cleared the bases with the first of two triples on the day into the right center gap to make it a 5-1 score. The speedster later came around to score on a single through the left side on a single by Hazlewood before a double into the left field corner by Kallie Pickens gave UT Martin a 7-1 advantage after the fourth.
Looking to end the game early following a RBI groundout by Dreiling in the top of the fifth, Kaitlyn Kelley laced a double to right center to give the Skyhawks an eight-run margin and enact the mercy rule with a final score of 9-1.
Game 12: UT Martin 8, Southern 3
Much like in the first game of the day, it was the other team which scored first in the contest. A single by Adkins and an ensuing stolen base moved her into scoring position. Later in the inning, Adkins came around to score on a RBI single up the middle by Sandoval to put Southern up 1-0 in the first.
UT Martin answered immediately in the top of the second inning as Hazlewood led off the inning with a solo home run to left center – her second of the season – to tie the game.
Southern would not go quietly however as a fielding error, a stolen base and passed ball spelled trouble for the Skyhawks. With a runner sitting on third base, Mark singled through the right side and gave the Jaguars a 2-1 advantage.
The lead would be short-lived once again though as the Skyhawks came back in the following half inning and scored four runs. Clark opened the inning with her second triple of the day – this time into the left center gap – before coming home to score on the following at bat on a two-run home run to center off the bat of Dreiling. The Skyhawks then saw Kelley single up the middle before Hazlewood and Pickens drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. With a prime scoring opportunity in hand, Fuller lofted a sacrifice fly to center to bring home a run before a pinch-hit RBI-single by Emily Gilstrap later in the frame gave UT Martin a 5-2 lead.
The Skyhawks added two more runs in the top of the fourth on a sacrifice fly RBI by Pickens and a RBI single by Fuller to stretch the game’s margin out to five runs.
Southern ultimately added one more run in the fifth inning on a wild pitch to end its scoring output in the contest before Fuller put a bow on UT Martin’s offensive day with a solo homer to right field in the sixth to cap an 8-3 win.
UT Martin will make its highly anticipated home debut on Tuesday, March 1 when playing host to Bellarmine for a doubleheader at Bettye Giles Field beginning at 1 p.m.
MURRAY STATE 6, MIDDLE TENNESSEE 3; MURRAY STATE 3, MERCER 2
MACON, Ga. - Murray State softball (9-5) has now won seven of their last nine games, taking both games against Middle Tennessee (4-10), 6-3, and Mercer (3-11), 3-2 on the closing day of the Mercer Invitational on Saturday in Macon, Georgia.
Game One – Murray State 6, Middle Tennessee 3
A six-run sixth inning propelled the Racers to the comeback victory over the Blue Raiders.
After going down 2-0 in the third, Lily Fischer started the Racers' rally with a leadoff single in the sixth. Four free bases from the MTSU, two walks and two errors, evened the game at two apiece. Gracie Osbron delivered the bases clearing, three-RBI double and Taylor Jackson extended the lead to 6-2 with an RBI single.
The Blue Raiders' Amaya Harris homered in the seventh but it wasn't enough as the Racers won 6-3.
Hannah James threw five complete innings, striking out six. Jenna Veber closed out the final two innings, not allowing a walk and striking out two.
Game Two – Murray State 3, Mercer 2
The bats picked up where they left off in the previous game jumping out to an early 1-0 lead on a Sierra Gilmore RBI double to score Jensen Striegel.
Mercer tied it at one in the bottom half of the inning on a solo home run.
The reigning OVC Player of the Week, Logan Braundmeier continued her hot start to the season, smashing her team-leading third home run, a two-run shot to give the Racers a 3-1 lead in the fifth.
The Bears tried to answer but were only able to push one run across as Kamryn Carcich (0-0) shut the door in the circle to earn her first save of the season with Veber (6-1) picking up the win.
The Racers close out their road tournament schedule next weekend at SIU's Coach B Classic, March 4-6 in Carbondale, Illinois.
BELMONT 4, LONGWOOD 2; MISSISSIPPI STATE 7, BELMONT 3
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Belmont University softball defeats Longwood University, 4-2 in an exciting matchup at The Snowman.
Top of the first the Bruins held the Lancers to no runs with Emma Summers recording the first of her eight strikeouts in this matchup. Summers completed her first full games with the Bruins allowing only a single walk and ending four of the seven innings with a strikeout.
Top of the third pitcher Emma Summers and the Bruin's defense retired the first three batters they faced.
Bottom of the third the Bruins scored their first run to tie up the ball game 1-1. Kaley Varner started the inning off with a walk. Varner made her way to second on a wild pitch. Baie Ensio singled, advancing Varner to third. Cheyenne Cavanaugh singled, bringing Varner home for their first run of the day.
The Bruins did not stop here, after another defensive 1-2-3 inning the Bruins were up to the plate again. Alicia Veltri walked to first and advanced to second as Audrey Lyle was hit by a pitch. Both advanced another base due to a wild pitch. Varner brought both Lyle and Veltri home after a slammed double, 3-1.
The Lancers countered in the fifth scoring off of a homerun. Cavanugh led off for the Bruins in the fifth singling up the middle and stole second. Kristen Green came in with a single to bring Cavanugh home.
The sixth was a defensively sound inning for both teams with neither reaching base. Summers finished the game off with a final strikeout in the top of the seventh.
Today was a great competitive matchup between the Bruins and Lancers with the Bruins coming out on top.
Belmont University Softball falls to Mississippi State in the final game at The Snowman Tournament.
Top of the first Abi Ledbetter singled, earning herself a spot on first. Two outs two on Ledbetter moved to second as Alicia Veltri was hit by a pitch. Mykayla Spurlin came up for the Bruins but was unable to bring them home.
The Bulldogs went up 5-0 in the bottom of the first.
Belmont only allowed one run in the bottom of the second, 6-0.
Top of the third Abi Ledbetter reached first on a Bulldog error. Kristen Green singled, moving Ledbetter to second. Alicia Veltri walked, advancing both Ledbetter and Green. Mykayla Spurlin walked, bringing Ledbetter home for an unearned run.
Bottom of the third, with two on and two outs the Bruins were able to successfully get out of the inning without any Bulldog runs.
Top of the fourth Kaley Varner homers adding her fourth to her career total, 6-2.
The Bulldogs went up an additional run in the bottom of the fourth, 7-2.
Top six Indy Cockrill and Varner walked. Baie Ensio singled making the bases loaded. Cheyenne Cavanaugh flew out but Cockrill was able to score on the play, 7-3.
Belmont had a great run this tournament going 1-3 against some stiff competition.
LOUISIANA TECH 10, EASTERN ILLINOIS 3; SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA 5, EASTERN ILLINOIS 0
YOUNGSVILLE, La. –Eastern Illinois softball lost a pair of games on Saturday afternoon as they played the second of three days at the Mardi Gras Mambo. The Panthers lost the opener to Louisiana Tech 10-3 before being shutout in the second game of the day, 5-0, by Southeastern Louisiana.
EIU will wrap up the three-day tournament on Sunday morning facing Nicholls State. On Friday EIU lost in extra innings to No. 15 Louisiana before being edged in the nightcap by Northwestern State.
LOUISIANA TECH 10, EASTERN ILLINOIS 3
Louisiana Tech put together two big scoring innings on Saturday afternoon to beat Eastern Illinois 10-3.
The Lady Techsters loaded the bases in the top of the third with singles by Sierra Sacco and Katelin Cooper followed by a hit batter. Lindsay Edwards then cleared the bases with a grand slam to put Louisiana Tech up 4-0 early.
EIU scratched across a run in the bottom of the third with Lindy Milkowski leading off with a single. She would come around to score on an RBI by Morgan Lewis.
Louisiana Tech extended the lead to 6-1 in the fourth taking advantage of an EIU error. Amanda Gonzalez would drive in one of the two runs in the frame.
Hannah Cravens cut into the Louisiana Tech lead in the bottom of the inning leading off with a home run, her fourth of the season. EIU would take advantage of an error to score their second run and cut the Louisiana Tech to 6-3.
The Lady Techsters added a single run in the fifth and broke open the game with three in the seventh. Six different players each collected one hit for Louisiana Tech with Sacco scoring two of the ten runs.
Five different EIU players had one hit with Cravens home run the lone Panthers extra base hit.
Audrey Pickett picked up the win improving to 5-2. Rachel Kaufman suffered the loss falling to 1-3.
Louisiana Tech improved to 8-5 with the win.
SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA 5, EASTERN ILLINOIS 0
Southeastern Louisiana pitcher KK Ladner allowed just three hits while striking out six during a 5-0 win over Eastern Illinois.
EIU placed runners in scoring position just three times during the game including Megan Burton reaching third base in the seventh. Burton also reached second in the fourth on a dobule as she was 2-for-3 in the game.
Southeastern Louisiana manufactured the only run they would need in the bottom of the second. Bailey Krolczyk led off with a double and after moving to third base on an infield ground out, came home to score on a sacrifice fly by Lindsey Rizzo.
The Lady Lions tacked on two more runs in the fourth inning taking advantage of control issues by the EIU pitching staff as four straight batters drew walks coupled with a wild pitch accounting for the two runs.
The final two runs came in the bottom of the sixth as two Southeatern Louisiana batters reached on walks with Audrey Greeley delivering a two-run double.
Ladner picked up the win improving to 1-0 on the season as Southeastern Louisiana improved to 9-3 overall. The Lady Lions had only four hits in the game but took advantage of six walks and one hit batter.
Tieghan Morio suffered the loss falling to 1-3 on the season. EIU fell to 6-8 after the two Saturday losses.
AUSTIN PEAY 5, NORTH ALABAMA 2; UAB 7, AUSITN PEAY 3
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Austin Peay State University’s softball team split its two games, Saturday at Mary Bowers Field, on Day 2 of the Blazer Invite, defeating North Alabama in its opener, 5-2, before falling to the tournament host UAB by a 7-3 final.
Govs (9-5) shortstop Brooke Pfefferle was the story versus North Alabama, as the super senior drove in all five of APSU’s runs, the first three on her first home run of the season in the bottom of the first inning and the other two with a single in the sixth inning.
Jordan Benefiel (5-2) would get the complete-game victory, limiting the Lions to two runs on seven hits, while walking one and striking out seven.
In the night cap versus UAB, fell behind early, 1-0, in the second inning, but rallied to score twice in the top of the third, with Pfefferle driving in both with a triple, to take a 2-1 lead.
UAB would tie the game, 2-2, in the bottom of the inning, with the score remaining that way until the bottom of the fifth, when the Blazers scored four times, on five hits, to take the lead for good, 6-2.
Austin Peay would score its final run in the sixth, on an RBI single by Emily Harkleroad, but UAB answered back with a run of its own in the bottom of the inning for the 7-3 final.