THURSDAY'S SCORES
@UT Martin 4, Western Michigan 3
@UT Martin 2, DePaul 1
Illinois 9,
@Tennessee State 2
@Troy 4,
Southeast Missouri 2
CSU Bakersfield 16,
Western Illinois 0 (5) (Honolulu, Hawai'i)
@Hawai'i 11,
Western Illinois 5
UT MARTIN 4, WESTERN MICHIGAN 3
UT MARTIN 2, DEPAUL 1
MARTIN, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team picked up a pair of one-run wins Thursday during day one of the 2025 Skyhawk Classic at Bettye Giles Field in Martin, Tenn. The Skyhawks opened the day with a 4-3 win over Western Michigan, followed by a 2-1 win over Purdue Fort Wayne in the second game of the day.
In the day's opener, all the action for both teams happened in the second inning. Kyrsten Brown made her first hit on the season count when she put the Skyhawks on the board with a three-run home run to left field. In the very next at bat, Alli Robinson dropped a bomb of her own to left field to make it, 4-0.
Western Michigan rallied in the bottom half of the inning and scored three runs, to make it a one score game. For the next five innings, UT Martin used stellar pitching and clamp-down defense to keep the Broncos at bay and hold one for the 4-3 win.
Elly Eckrich picked up her first win of the season in the circle by going 4.0 innings and allowing no runs on one hit with four strikeouts and a walk. Rylee Tittle closed out the game for UT Martin allowing no runs on no hits with four strikeouts and only one walk over the final two frames.
In game two, Kyrsten Brown tallied her second home run in as many games in the fifth inning with a solo strike that evened the game at one after Purdue Fort Wayne homered in the fourth inning.
In the bottom of the seventh, Avary Makarewicz led off the frame with a walk and was advanced in the next at bat on a sacrifice bunt from Kyrsten Brown. In the following at bat, Alli Robinson ended the game with walk-off double the scored Makarewicz from second.
Tittle earned the win in the game after she allowed no runs on no hits with two strikeouts in the final inning of the game.
ILLINOIS 9, TENNESSEE STATE 2
MARTIN, Tenn. - The Tennessee State Tigers struggled on Thursday, falling to the Illinois Fighting Illini 9-2 despite the efforts of Jace Jackson, who went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Reina Castillo (1-3) got the ball to start for Tennessee State (2-4) and took the loss.
Trailing 5-0, the Tigers first put runs on the board in the second inning. Kailyn Jean-Baptiste came across to score the lone run of the inning for Tennessee State and get them on the board.
The Tigers deficit expanded to 9-1 before their offense got back on the scoreboard, cutting into that deficit in the sixth inning. Tennessee State scored once on an RBI single off the bat of Jackson, which tightened the Fighting Illini lead to 9-2. The Tigers were unable to get any closer, as neither team scored again in the ballgame.
TROY 4, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 2
TROY, Ala. - Southeast Missouri (0-1) rallied for two runs and had the bases loaded with two outs in the top of the seventh inning but came up short in a 4-2 decision to Sun Belt Conference member Troy University (4-2) Thursday.
Down, 4-0, through six innings, Gracie Luna singled and pinch hitter Hailey Burnett walked. On the next play, Sydney Melton reached on a fielder's choice and pinch runner Kinley Wilkins scored SEMO's first run of the season on an error.
Brittany Affolter drew a two-out walk and Tatum Gerwitz delivered a single through the right side to score Melton cutting Troy's lead to 4-2.
Madison Winkler then walked to load the bases before Trojan reliever Mya Holt got Sydney Dennis to ground out and end the game.
Troy got on the board in the bottom of the first.
Taylor McKinney hit Maddie Carney's first pitch of the season for a single, advanced to second on a passed ball and quickly scored on Caiden Oliva's bas hit through the left side.
The Trojans later had the bases loaded with one out before Carney ended the threat when she forced Reaghan Oney to hit into a double play keeping the score at 1-0.
Troy tacked on another run by way of a two-out double from Cassidy Boltz in the bottom of the third. Boltz knocked in pinch-runner Megan Loftis to put the Trojans ahead, 2-0.
A walk and hit by pitch put runners at first and second for the Trojans in the home half of the fourth inning.
Following a double steal, Makaley Boswell scored when Natalie Turner reached on a fielder's choice. McKinnon Howard later touched home on a bases loaded walk to widen Troy's lead to 4-0.
Luna, in her first career start at first base, posted SEMO's first hit of the season on a leadoff infield single in the top of the second. Gerwitz then reached on a one-out double in the third to give the Redhawks their first runner in scoring position.
SEMO had a scoring opportunity in the top of the fifth where Melton doubled and advanced to third on a passed ball. Melton, however, was left on base after Troy's Esmee Ames recorded three-straight outs.
Alyssa Faircloth (2-1) picked up the win. Faircloth struck out eight, gave up two hits and walked one in four scoreless innings.
Holt earned her first save after ending SEMO's threat in the seventh.
Troy outhit SEMO, 7-5.
Luna went 2-for-2 with a run scored and Gerwitz finished at 2-for-3 with one RBI to pace the Redhawks.
Carney (0-1) worked three innings allowing three runs on six hits in her first start of the year.
CSU BAKERSFIELD 16, WESTERN ILLINOIS 0 (5)
HAWAI'I 11, WESTERN ILLINOIS 5
HONOLULU, Hawai'i - Western Illinois faced a tough couple of games in Honolulu, suffering losses to Cal State Bakersfield and Hawaii.
In their first match-up against Cal State Bakersfield, Western Illinois struggled both offensively and defensively, falling 16-0 in five innings. The Leathernecks managed just one hit while allowing 16 runs on 10 hits, including four home runs. Pitching woes plagued WIU, as they issued four walks and hit two batters. CSUB jumped out early with nine runs in the first two innings and never looked back.
In their second game, Western Illinois showed more fight but ultimately fell 11-5 to Hawaii. The Leathernecks got off to a strong start, scoring three runs in the first inning and adding two more in the third. Payton Brown led the charge with two home runs and four RBIs, while Ruby Tarr added a solo shot. Despite the offensive push, WIU's pitching faltered, allowing 11 runs on 11 hits with seven walks.
The Leathernecks drop to 2-5 on the season.