SKYHAWK SOFTBALL DROPS HEARTBREAKER IN EXTRA-INNING MARATHON AT JACKSONVILLE STATE

Friday, March 12

Jacksonville, Ala.

4 p.m.

UT Martin

9-5, 1-3

Jacksonville State

4-9, 3-1

UT Martin

Jacksonville State

SKYHAWK SOFTBALL DROPS HEARTBREAKER IN EXTRA-INNING MARATHON AT JACKSONVILLE STATE

3/12/2021 9:15:00 PM | Softball

Box Score PDF

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team dropped a heartbreaker on Friday afternoon in the opener of a three-game series at Ohio Valley Conference rival Jacksonville State in a 10-inning marathon, falling 2-1.

The Skyhawks (9-5, 1-3 OVC) showed their grit throughout the contest behind a gutsy pitching performance by the duo of Erin Gallagher and Alexis Groet who held the Gamecocks in check for most of the afternoon.

Gallagher was exceptional, holding JSU hitless for the first 6.1 innings while striking out five before a double off the wall in the bottom of the seventh ended her no-hit bid and shutout on one swing. Groet (2-1, 1.17 ERA) would pitch the Skyhawks out of the jam in the seventh and finish the day with 3.1 innings of relief while striking out three but would ultimately be credited with the loss as an error brought the game-winning run home to score for the Gamecocks in the bottom of the 10^th.

Shyanne Sheffield paced the Skyhawk offense with three hits on the day while Kaci Fuller, Kaitlyn Kelley, Paige Clark and Aalia Bivens also scratched out base knocks.

The Skyhawks found their lone run on the afternoon in the fourth inning when Kelley continued her hot streak at the plate by blasting her seventh home run this season – an opposite field shot to right center – to put the visitors up 1-0.

The score would remain that way heading into the bottom of the seventh. Gallagher would get the first batter out in the inning, but a walk followed by a deep double off the left center wall from Jada Terry tied the game and broke up the no-hitter. Following a pitching change, Groet would get out of the jam with a groundout and a strikeout to head to extra innings.

Both teams strung together scoring opportunities in extras but it was Jacksonville State which ultimately pushed the game-winning run home in the bottom of the 10^th. Back-to-back singles led off the inning to signal trouble but the Skyhawks found a pair of outs to settle down before a fielding error on the potential third out of the inning ended the game, giving JSU a 2-1 victory.

UT Martin is scheduled to play a doubleheader against Jacksonville State on Saturday, March 13 to determine the winner of the series. Action from University Field is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.