FULCHER AND McBRIDE LEAVE MARK AT BETTYE GILES FIELD WITH HOME RUNS ON SENIOR DAY

Friday, May 3

Martin, Tenn.

2 p.m.

UT Martin

29-25, 10-11

Austin Peay

29-19, 14-5

Austin Peay

UT Martin

FULCHER AND McBRIDE LEAVE MARK AT BETTYE GILES FIELD WITH HOME RUNS ON SENIOR DAY

5/3/2019 7:00:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Game 54: PDF Game 55: PDF Photo Gallery

MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team honored its four seniors on Friday afternoon before the final doubleheader of the regular season against Ohio Valley Conference foe Austin Peay. The Skyhawks paid their respects to the quartet of Jessie Douglas, Alli Fulcher, Gracyn McBride and Shelby Woodard prior to the game while a pair saved some fireworks for their final homestand.

The Skyhawks (29-26, 10-12 OVC) finished the regular season by dropping their final doubleheader to Austin Peay by scores of 3-2 and 4-1. Despite the final results, UT Martin saw a pair of its key contributors over the previous four years leave Bettye Giles Field on a high note. A pair of solo home runs by seniors McBride and Fulcher ranked as each player's respective 23^rd career home run which ranks eighth in program history.

UT Martin saw each of its three runs on the day come off the long ball as the trio of McBride, Fulcher and freshman Kallie Pickens recorded solo home runs in the doubleheader. Fellow senior Shelby Woodard also tallied a base hit on the afternoon to wrap up her career at home.

All four pitchers saw action in the circle in the doubleheader. Hannah Ridolfi (8-10) and Lexi Ray (8-8) were credited with losses, as each allowed three earned runs on the day. Sophomore Caitlin Karo tossed two-thirds of an inning while freshman Erin Gallagher allowed one run in two innings.

Game 54: Austin Peay 3, UT Martin 2
The first game of the day proved to be a pitcher's duel until the fifth inning when Austin Peay finally broke onto the scoreboard. After a pair of singles to start the inning, Danielle Liermann smoke a line drive off the center field wall to score the pair and take a 2-0 advantage.

The Skyhawks would respond in the bottom half of the inning as Pickens turned on the first-pitch she saw and smoked it off the deck in left center for her third home run of the season. UT Martin would not be done however, as the McBride made it back-to-back solo shots with her eighth home run of the season to left field to tie the contest.

The Governors answered in the top of the sixth as Morgan Rackel laced a double down the left field line to leadoff the inning. After advancing to third on a wild pitch, she later came home to score on a sacrifice fly by Brooke Pfefferle which proved to be the game-winner.

Game 55: Austin Peay 4, UT Martin 1
Much like in the opener of the doubleheader, neither team got out to a quick start until the Skyhawks struck first in the bottom of the fourth inning. With the game still in a scoreless tie, Fulcher launched her eighth home run of the season to left center to put the Skyhawks on top 1-0.

The lead would be short lived however as Austin Peay answered in the top of the fifth inning to tie the game. Kacy Acree reached on a fielder's choice before promptly swiping both second and third base to move into prime scoring position. From there a single through the left side by Carly Mattson knotted the game at one run apiece.

The Govs would land a pair of blows in the top of the sixth inning which proved to be the knockout punch for the Skyhawks. A leadoff single by Lexi Osowski began the frame before a Kelsey Gross turned on a pitch for a two-run home run off the scoreboard in left field. With the lead in hand, the Govs added another run in the inning to put the game out of reach off a RBI single by Acree to seal the 4-1 victory.

UT Martin will begin a fresh slate when opening play in the OVC Softball Championship beginning on Wednesday, May 8. The four-day tournament will be held at Choccolocco Park for the fourth consecutive season in Oxford, Ala. The Skyhawks opponent and game time information will be released on Sunday after completion of the league's remaining contests.