Ohio Valley Conference

EVANSVILLE, Ind. - The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team split the final day of the 2025 Aces Tournament Monday at Cooper Stadium in Evansville. The Skyhawks began the day with a 10-0, five inning win over Western Michigan, before falling to Evansville in the finale, 9-0, in five innings.

In game one against Western Michigan, the Skyhawks' bats exploded for seven hits including a three-run home run by Kyrsten Brown. UT Martin also took advantage of two miscues by the Broncos to score a season-high 10 runs.

Carly Ward went 2-for-2 in the game with a triple and 3 RBIs, while Kyrsten Brown finished the day at 2-for-3 with two runs scored and four RBIs. Kennedy Brown scored three times in the game, while also tallying a hit, swiping two bases and walking twice. In addition, Avary Makarewicz drew two walks against the Broncos and stole a base with Kyla Harley and Ava Scott also recording a hit.

Ashtyn Green moved to 3-0 in the circle on the year after she tossed a three-hit, complete game shutout with a strikeout and only two walks.

In game two, UT Martin had no answer offensively for Evansville's Kate Ridgway, who shutout the Skyhawks while allowing only two hits and a walk and fanning seven batters. Kyla Harley led off the game with a single, while Jordyn Hustey got a two-out single in the seventh for UT Martin's only two hits of the game.

Rylee Tittle took the loss for the Skyhawks in the game, despite striking out four and walking just one batter over 2.0 innings of work.

BUTLER 3, WESTERN ILLINOIS 0
MURRAY STATE 9, WESTERN ILLINOIS 0 (5)
MURRAY, Ky. - Western Illinois struggled offensively in both of their match ups on February 24, 2025, suffering shutout losses to Butler and Murray State.

In their first game of the day against Butler, Western Illinois failed to register a hit in a 3-0 loss. The team was held hitless by Butler's pitching staff, managing only three walks while striking out three times. Despite a solid defensive effort that included no errors and just five hits allowed, Western Illinois couldn't generate any offensive momentum. Butler scored one run in the first inning and added two more in the fourth to secure the win.

Later in the day, Western Illinois faced Murray State and endured another tough outing, falling 9-0 in just five innings. The Racers' offense jumped on Western Illinois early, scoring four runs in the first inning and never looking back. Western Illinois managed just one hit and committed one error in the game. Pitching struggles were a major factor, as the pitchers surrendered nine hits and five walks while allowing seven earned runs.

Across both games, Western Illinois failed to score a run and managed only one hit in 12 total innings of play. Their offense struggled to make contact, while the pitchers had difficulty containing their opponents. These losses dropped their record to 3-9 on the season.

LINDENWOOD 2, NORTHERN ILLINOIS 1
NORTHERN ILLINOIS 3, LINDENWOOD 2 (8)
ST. CHRALES, Mo. - Lindenwood softball (5-7, 0-0 OVC) splits their two games at home on Monday against Northern Illinois (5-8, 0-0) by scores of 2-1 and 2-3 (8 innings). All games this weekend were moved to the Lou Brock Sports Complex due to weather at other locations.

Lindenwood softball picked up a 2-1 win over Northern Illinois to start the day after back-to-back home runs by Jolie McMinn and Danielle Franz in the sixth inning. Avery Wapp (W, 2-1) picked up the win after throwing a complete game allowing four hits and one run with five strikeouts.

The Lions had six hits on the afternoon including their first one in the second inning by Irelynn West. West went a perfect 2-2 at the plate with a walk in the game. She was the only Lion in game one to have multiple hits.

In the top of the fourth inning, NIU got a single to lead-off the inning and was moved over after a sac bunt and a passed ball. After the Lions got the second out, NIU scored on and RBI single up the middle to make it 1-0.

It wasn't until the sixth inning when the Lions' bats got hot with their two runs in the game. McMinn and Franz started the inning with back-to-back home runs as the Lions took a 2-1 lead. Wapp shut down the Huskies in the seventh as the Lions picked up the win.

Lindenwood softball fell in game two in extra innings on a go-ahead RBI double in the top of the eighth inning as the Lions fall to 5-7 on the year. Overall this weekend, Lindenwood went 1-2 through their first three games at Lou Brock.

The Lions scored both runs in the second inning. After an Anna Sanders double and a single by Teryn Brown, Nicole Henson hit into an error at third base scoring both runs as the Lions took a 2-0 lead. Northern Illinois responded with one run in the fourth and one in the sixth.

Reyleigh Owens started the game throwing 5.1 innings allowing two runs on six hits with five strikeouts. Wapp closed out the final 2.2 innings allowing the final run in the eight inning. In Tournament rules, a runner is placed at second base in extra innings resulting in the RBI double as the Huskies pulled out the win.