SKYHAWKS LOOK FOR SENIORS AND STRONG PITCHING TO PAVE THE WAY FOR SUCCESS IN 2019

The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team will open its 34^th season in program history on Friday, Feb. 8 when the squad officially opens the 2019 season. While history has shown that the Skyhawks are destined for success and another trip to the OVC Softball Championship, the quest towards another tournament appearance has already begun.

With head coach Donley Canary – the OVC's fourth all-time winningest coach - returning to the helm for his 18^th season, the Skyhawks youth and inexperience will have to build upon his inspiration and development. That guidance will be needed when you consider the Skyhawks have just three seniors while welcoming 11 newcomers into the fold.

The Skyhawks return just two full-time starters from a season ago in senior Alli Fulcher and Gracyn McBride. Fulcher paced the Skyhawks with a .293 batting average, 10 doubles, five home runs and 23 RBIs. McBride also proved to be a force with a .241 batting average, eight doubles, five home runs and 20 RBIs.

"Both of these kids have been four-year starters, they've hit right in the middle of our lineup and know what to expect," Canary said. "We also look to them to anchor our infield. They have made big time plays for us over the years and we will really have to count on them to lead our team to success this season.

UT Martin will welcome another senior into the trio with the addition of North Alabama transfer Shelby Woodard which brings a nice hitting attack into a lineup needing experience. While at North Alabama, she played in 117 games and was part of a squad which won the Division II College World Series as a freshman. Woodard will rank as one of the team's three seniors while boasting a bat which has posted a .346 career batting average with 11 doubles, 17 home runs and 63 RBIs for her career.

"Shelby is going to come in here and said she feels more comfortable being the DP, which takes a lot of guts" Canary said. "At that position, you have to be mentally able to hit the ball. She will hit in the middle of the order and knock in runs for us. We are really lucky to have gotten her for a year."

With three seniors looking to lead the way, UT Martin will have to replace starting holes in a variety of different areas. After boasting a veteran heavy team a year ago, graduation leads to inexperience in 2019. The Skyhawks must replace starters at catcher, second base, third and every outfield position, leading to several questions heading into the season.

"We know that we have several spots to fill and that's why we will rely so heavily on our seniors to carry the load with the bat and on the field," Canary said. "Even though we don't have a ton of returners, we aren't short in talent. We are just short in experience. We feel like there are several players on this roster that can compete for a starting job – making us two deep at every positon. At the end of the day, the only way to get experience is baptism by fire and that will certainly be the case this season."

Infield

A bulk of the team's returning experience comes from the infield positions. McBride will man first base for the fourth straight season with Fulcher taking hold of shortstop once again. Fulcher has garnered the bulk of the starts at shortstop since stepping on campus, starting in each of her 170 games played while McBride has tallied 129 starts split primarily between first base and designated player. Meanwhile, there are zero returning starts at either second base or third base from the projected depth chart.

The Skyhawks will turn to youth to fill the holes left via graduation a year ago. Sophomore Alexis Rogers will slot into the starting role at third base after appearing in 26 games a season ago while notching three hits in 10 at bats. Meanwhile at second base, a battle between freshmen Chelsey Gore and Gabbi Campbell will dictate the playing time at the position. Talented freshman Kallie Pickens will then compete for action at both third and shortstop while Woodard will split time at first base and designated player.

"We know we don't have the returning experience at second and third, but we certainly have the players to excel at the position," Canary said. "This is a talented freshman class that has proven to challenge the returners. Every player has shown their ability to hit the ball and field the position at a quality level. I'm excited to see how the group develops."

Infielders: Gracyn McBride, Shelby Woodard, Chelsey Gore, Gabbi Campbell, Alli Fulcher, Kallie Pickens and Alexis Rogers.

Outfield

While the outfield boasts three players which return for their second season in the program, only one player – Paige Clark – has started a game in the outfield while a pair of transitioned infielders have moved to the outfield to compete for time. Clark started in nine games in the outfield while earning 18 starts at designated player where she posted a .262 batting average with 15 runs scored, 14 RBIs and 12 stolen bases. Now in her sophomore campaign, Clark is slated to start in left field in front of fellow sophomore and former infielder Madelyn Dycus who appeared in 35 games primarily as a pinch runner.

In centerfield the Skyhawks are looking to junior newcomer Haylee Short to patrol the vast depths of Bettye Giles Field. Short joins the Skyhawks after being named an all-american and two-time all-region performer at Lake Land Community College where she posted a .423 batting average while tallying nine doubles, five triples, six home runs, 40 RBIs and 20 stolen bases. Looking to provide depth at the position and on the basepaths will be freshman Olivia Lowry.

"Paige has worked really hard in the offseason to continue building her speed and hitting ability," Canary added. "She has Leah Taylor-type speed, is a gap-to-gap hitter and I think she could turn into an All-OVC type player. Then when you add in an all-american like Haylee in center and the hitting experience and athleticism of Aalia Bivens in right, we feel like we have a good group."

Outfielders: Paige Clark, Madelyn Dycus, Haylee Short, Olivia Lowry, Kenna Garst, Aalia Bivens and Chayse Skinner.

Catcher

Behind the plate the Skyhawks will turn the reigns over to a pair of freshmen in the duo of Georgia Land and Kenna Garst. Land brings several accolades into her collegiate career after being named the Miss Softball Middle Tennessee AAA Player of the Year after posting a .479 batting average with 11 doubles, six home runs and 33 RBIs as a senior. Challenging for the starting nod is fellow freshman Garst which helped her team to back-to-back state titles while posting a .394 batting average with 13 doubles, eight home runs and 40 RBIs as a junior.

"While we don't have experience behind the plate, we feel like we have a ton of talent back there," Canary said. "Heading into the fall we thought that Georgia would be the clear starter, but Kenna has really battled and grown to give us two terrific options behind the plate."

Catchers: Georgia Land and Kenna Garst.

Pitchers

While much of the team is looking for new starters at several key positions, the Skyhawks should look to their starting pitching as a position of strength. With the return of starters Hannah Ridolfi and Caitlin Karo to the rotation, the Skyhawks feels confident that some of the team's early season adjustments will be minimized due in large part to experience within the circle. Ridolfi led the team with 181.0 innings of work last season and 2.48 ERA while boasting an overall record of 9-18. Karo meanwhile was strong in her freshman campaign with a 16-11 record and 2.75 ERA in 170.2 innings of work.

With two strong starters at the top of the rotation, the Skyhawks will add another pair of freshmen arms to the fold. Freshman Lexi Ray brings a formidable arm where she posted a 22-6 record along with a 0.93 ERA in 171.6 innings of work as a senior en route to first team honors. Meanwhile fellow freshman Erin Gallagher posted an 8-5 mark with a 2.30 ERA in 70.2 innings last season.

"We certainly have two experienced pitchers coming back," Canary said. "Those two kids will keep us in most of the games while Lexi comes out of a highly completive environment. When you put the ball in her hands, she can take her game to another level. That would give us three kids in the rotation while Erin will provide us a nice reliever and potential closer."

Pitchers: Hannah Ridolfi, Caitlin Karo, Lexi Ray and Erin Gallagher.

UT Martin officially opens the season on Friday, Feb. 8 in the Georgia Southern Bash in the Boro. The Skyhawks will matchup against Winthrop, Georgia Southern, Savannah State and Saint Francis in the field.