Friday, April 12
Martin, Tenn.
4 p.m.
UT Martin
25-18, 7-6
4
vs
5
Murray State
19-19, 9-2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Murray State
3
1
1
0
0
0
0
5
9
1
UT Martin
0
1
0
0
2
0
1
4
9
0
UT MARTIN SOFTBALL DROPS SERIES TO MURRAY STATE
4/12/2019 9:08:00 PM | Softball
MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team saw its struggles continue on Friday night, dropping both ends of a home doubleheader to Ohio Valley Conference leader Murray State by scores of 5-4 and 3-0.
The Skyhawks (25-18, 7-7 OVC) saw their losing streak reach four games during the homestand. Despite the end results, Kallie Pickens and Aalia Bivens led the squad with three hits and a RBI each. Joining in the action was Gracyn McBride and Haylee Short who also tallied a pair of base knocks on the day to also drive in the team's other pair of runs.
On the pitching side, the relievers were impressive. Sophomore Caitlin Karo appeared in relief in Game 1, allowing one earned run in six innings of work. In Game 2, freshman Erin Gallagher struck out four in two shutout innings. The starting duo of Hannah Ridolfi (7-6) and Lexi Ray (6-5) were credited with losses.
Game 43: Murray State 5, UT Martin 4
Murray State (20-19, 10-2 OVC) jumped out to an early lead in the first inning of the twinbill. A leadoff walk and a fielding error proved costly for the Skyhawks as Sierra Gilmore crushed a three-run home run off the left field scoreboard to put the Racers on top early.
The home run ball would come back to hurt the Skyhawks again in the top of the second when Lexi Jones hit a solo blast on the second pitch of the frame to right center to make it a 4-0 contest.
UT Martin scored its first run of the contest in the bottom of the second after a pair of leadoff singles by Bivens and Short set Pickens up for a RBI opportunity. With runners on first and second and no outs, Pickens dropped a single into left center to plate Bivens and cut into the margin.
After the Racers responded in the top of the third inning with a RBI single by Logan Braundmeier, UT Martin faces a four-run deficit heading into the fifth inning. Four singles and a walk in the inning resulted in Bivens driving in a run with a base knock through the left side before pinch runner Madelyn Dycus scored on a fielder's choice to trim the deficit to 5-3.
The Skyhawks would mount a comeback attempt in the bottom of the seventh as a solo blast by Gracyn McBride served as her 22nd of her career, moving the senior into sole possession of eighth place on the program's home run leaderboard. Despite the last homer, the Skyhawks would fall short of a miraculous comeback, 5-4.
Game 44: Murray State 3, UT Martin 0
Much like in Game 1, Murray State wasted little time getting on the board. A leadoff walk followed by a fielding error proved to be costly. With runners on second and third with two outs, the Skyhawks second error of the inning allowed Brenna Finck to score and give the Racers a quick 1-0 advantage.
The game would remain at a one-run margin until the top of the fifth inning. Finck would reach on a fielder's choice to spark another rally before Jensen Striegel singled to center to place a pair of runners on the paths. With runners on first and second, Lillie Goetz stroked a two-run double into the left field gap which saw both runs come home to score.
From there the Skyhawks would be kept at bay by Taylor Makowsky as the team was shutout for the third time in the last four games.
UT Martin will return to action on Tuesday, April 16 with a matchup at Southeastern Conference foe Ole Miss at 6 p.m. on SEC Network +.
The Skyhawks (25-18, 7-7 OVC) saw their losing streak reach four games during the homestand. Despite the end results, Kallie Pickens and Aalia Bivens led the squad with three hits and a RBI each. Joining in the action was Gracyn McBride and Haylee Short who also tallied a pair of base knocks on the day to also drive in the team's other pair of runs.
On the pitching side, the relievers were impressive. Sophomore Caitlin Karo appeared in relief in Game 1, allowing one earned run in six innings of work. In Game 2, freshman Erin Gallagher struck out four in two shutout innings. The starting duo of Hannah Ridolfi (7-6) and Lexi Ray (6-5) were credited with losses.
Game 43: Murray State 5, UT Martin 4
Murray State (20-19, 10-2 OVC) jumped out to an early lead in the first inning of the twinbill. A leadoff walk and a fielding error proved costly for the Skyhawks as Sierra Gilmore crushed a three-run home run off the left field scoreboard to put the Racers on top early.
The home run ball would come back to hurt the Skyhawks again in the top of the second when Lexi Jones hit a solo blast on the second pitch of the frame to right center to make it a 4-0 contest.
UT Martin scored its first run of the contest in the bottom of the second after a pair of leadoff singles by Bivens and Short set Pickens up for a RBI opportunity. With runners on first and second and no outs, Pickens dropped a single into left center to plate Bivens and cut into the margin.
After the Racers responded in the top of the third inning with a RBI single by Logan Braundmeier, UT Martin faces a four-run deficit heading into the fifth inning. Four singles and a walk in the inning resulted in Bivens driving in a run with a base knock through the left side before pinch runner Madelyn Dycus scored on a fielder's choice to trim the deficit to 5-3.
The Skyhawks would mount a comeback attempt in the bottom of the seventh as a solo blast by Gracyn McBride served as her 22nd of her career, moving the senior into sole possession of eighth place on the program's home run leaderboard. Despite the last homer, the Skyhawks would fall short of a miraculous comeback, 5-4.
Game 44: Murray State 3, UT Martin 0
Much like in Game 1, Murray State wasted little time getting on the board. A leadoff walk followed by a fielding error proved to be costly. With runners on second and third with two outs, the Skyhawks second error of the inning allowed Brenna Finck to score and give the Racers a quick 1-0 advantage.
The game would remain at a one-run margin until the top of the fifth inning. Finck would reach on a fielder's choice to spark another rally before Jensen Striegel singled to center to place a pair of runners on the paths. With runners on first and second, Lillie Goetz stroked a two-run double into the left field gap which saw both runs come home to score.
From there the Skyhawks would be kept at bay by Taylor Makowsky as the team was shutout for the third time in the last four games.
UT Martin will return to action on Tuesday, April 16 with a matchup at Southeastern Conference foe Ole Miss at 6 p.m. on SEC Network +.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: JAMES Hannah (10-9)
L: Ridolfi, Hannah (7-7)
S: BARRETT Ellison (2)
Batting:
2B: CARROLL Lindsey 1
HR: GILMORE Sierra 1 ; JONES Lexi 1
RBI: GILMORE Sierra 3 ; BRAUNDMEIER Logan 1 ; JONES Lexi 1
SH: SHOULDERS Abby 1
Base Running:
RUNS: STRIEGEL JENSEN 1 ; GOETZ Lillie 1 ; GILMORE Sierra 1 ; CARROLL Lindsey 1 ; JONES Lexi 1
SB: GILMORE Sierra 1
HBP: BRAUNDMEIER Logan 1
Batting:
HR: McBride, Gracyn 1
RBI: McBride, Gracyn 1 ; Bivens, Aalia 1 ; Short, Haylee 1 ; Pickens, Kallie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Clark, Paige 1 ; Dycus, Madelyn 1 ; McBride, Gracyn 1 ; Bivens, Aalia 1
SB: Garst, Kenna 1
PO: Lowry, Olivia 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballOF
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