WEDNESDAY'S GAMES
@UT Martin 8, Murray State 3
@Tennessee State 8, Detroit Mercy 0 (5)
Lindenwood 5, @Evansville 3
@Evansville 2,
Lindenwood 1
UT MARTIN 8, MURRAY STATE 3
MARTIN, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team used a three-run inning in the fourth to take a lead and never looked back to knocked off former Ohio Valley Conference rival Murray State by a final score of 8-3.
The Skyhawks improved to 12-8 on the season while pushing their current winning streak out to four games after scoring eight runs over the final three offensive innings of the game. A two-run home run by Anna Hazlewood provided a big spark for the home team before adding five more runs in the fifth and sixth innings.
Along with her two-run jack, Hazlewood joined classmate Kiersten Nixon with two-hit days to help their pitching afternoons. Hazlewood started the contest and allowed one runs in three innings before being relieved by Katie Dreiling who picked up her fourth win of the season after allowing one run in two innings of work. Capping off the pitching performance was Nixon who earned her first save after tossing two innings.
Murray State (9-12) jumped out to an early lead with a run in the first inning after Hobby tallied a single and Jackson doubled in the run to give the visitors a 1-0 advantage. The score remained the same until the fourth when Hicks singled to left field and pushed the team's lead out to two runs.
The Skyhawks finally got on the board in the bottom half of the fourth frame when Nixon singled through the left side to cut the deficit in half. After the big base knock, Hazlewood followed that up by launching a two-run blast to right center and give the home squad its first lead of the game.
The scoring onslaught continued for the home team in the fifth inning when a single by Kennedy Brown led off the inning before she came home to score on a single and an error off the bat of Kaci Fuller. The speedster's time was short on the bases as Fuller came home to score on the following at-bat as a wild pitch got away from the catcher on a walk to Alli Robinson.
The Racers put one more run on the board with a wild pitch in the sixth inning but saw their scoring come to a close.
Already holding a two-run advantage, the Skyhawks added to their lead in the sixth inning to put the game on ice. A fielder's choice off the bat of Brown scored a run as Carly Ward avoided the tag at home plate before Avry Blume scored on a sacrifice fly from Fuller. The game's final run came home to score on another wild pitch to bring the final tally to 8-3.
TENNESSEE STATE 8, DETROIT MERCY 0 (5)
NASHVILLE - Caitlyn Manus was dealing on Wednesday, tossing a three-hit shutout to lead the Tennessee State Tigers over the Detroit Mercy Titans 8-0.
Manus (3-5) went the distance for Tennessee State (9-9), giving up three hits, walking one and striking out five.
Offensively, the Tigers were led by sophomore Onnika Spencer, who went 1-for-2 on the day with a double and three RBI. Jasmine Blackburn compiled a standout performance as well, going 1-for-2 with a triple and a walk. Senior Laila Armstrong also contributed for TSU, putting together two hits in four trips to the plate while adding an RBI.
The Tigers took the lead for good in the first, scoring for the first time in the inning. Tennessee State's offense started clicking and put up four runs, including a three-run double off the bat of Spencer.
The Tigers also added runs in the second, fourth, and fifth innings on the way to the 8-0 victory.
LINDENWOOD 5, EVANSVILLE 3; EVANSVILLE 2, LINDENWOOD 1
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Lindenwood softball (10-10, 0-0 OVC) split their non-conference double header on Wednesday against Evansville (1-17, 0-0 MVC) by scores of 5-3 and 1-2. The Lions ended their winning streak at seven games before losing the second game on Wednesday.
Lindenwood came out to start the double header with a 5-3 victory over the Aces. Amanda Weyh (W, 6-4) picked up her sixth victory of the season on the mound throwing for all seven innings allow three runs on five hits while tying her season high of 10 strikeouts.
Weyh also led the Lions at the plate going 2-3 while bring home two runs. Madisen Noll also went 1-4 while bring home two runs for the Lions. Lindenwood's offense posted seven hits in the win.
After Weyh started the afternoon with two strikeouts in the first inning, Lindenwood struck first in the second after Weyh's first RBI single to bring home Mya Bethany. Noll brought home two more runs in the third inning with a single up the middle to put Lindenwood up 3-0.
Lindenwood tacked on two more runs in the fourth inning after Weyh's second RBI single and an unearned run off an error that score Weyh.
Evansville did not have their first hit until the fourth inning when Marah Wood singled off of Weyh. The Aces scored their first run off an RBI double by Hannah Wood in the fourth to cut the lead to 3-1.
Late drama in the bottom of the seventh after Evansville put up two more runs with one out to cut the lead to two runs. Weyh struck out the final batter of the game to reach 10 strikeouts and secured the win for the Lions.
Both defenses were in full action during the second game of a Wednesday double header after Evansville stole a win against the Lions by a final score of 2-1. Avery Wapp (L, 3-3) suffered the loss for the Lions.
Lindenwood's offense had six hits in the second game, but left 12 runners on base allowing the Aces to take the lead late in the game. Mya Bethany and Irelynn West both had two hits in game two.
Wapp pitched all six innings for the Lions in the losing effort while striking out 10 Aces including two in the first inning. It marked her second straight game of 10+ strikeouts after posting 14 in her last outing.
The Lions struck first in the top of the third inning with an RBI single by West to score Bethany giving LU the early 1-0 lead. Wapp limited Evansville to just three hits throughout the entire game.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Wapp walked to lead-off batter to have a runner on for Wood who hit the game-deciding home run giving Evansville a 2-1 lead heading into the final inning. LU had runners on second and third with two outs in the seventh, but failed to tie the game leading to an Evansville victory in game two.