KELLEY TIES SINGLE-SEASON HOME RUN RECORD AS SKYHAWKS SPLIT DOUBLEHEADER AGAINST MOREHEAD STATE

Saturday, April 17

Martin, Tenn.

4:45 p.m.

UT Martin

20-12, 9-9

Morehead State

10-20, 2-16

Morehead State

UT Martin

KELLEY TIES SINGLE-SEASON HOME RUN RECORD AS SKYHAWKS SPLIT DOUBLEHEADER AGAINST MOREHEAD STATE

4/18/2021 1:26:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Game 32: PDF Game 33: PDF

MARTIN, Tenn. – Sophomore slugger Kaitlyn Kelley blasted her 14^th home run in the fifth inning of Game 2 to tie the program's single-season home run record and give the University of Tennessee at Martin a split of the Ohio Valley Conference home doubleheader against Morehead State on Saturday night.

The Skyhawks (21-12, 10-9 OVC) outhit the Eagles in both contests of today's doubleheader but managed just a split on the first day of the three-game series. UT Martin tallied 20 hits on the evening – outing the visitors by 11 in the twinbill – while scoring 13 runs.

Five different players tallied multi-hit days with Kelley and Kaci Fuller pacing the squad with four hits each. Kelley went 4-for-8 on the day – including a 3-for-4 outing in Game 2 with two doubles, a home run and four RBIs. Senior Aalia Bivens went 3-for-3 on the day with a double while Shyanne Sheffield also tallied three base knocks. Paige Clark ranked as the fifth player to secure a multi-hit day while ripping her first home run of the season.

All five pitchers saw action against the Eagles. Erin Gallagher (4-4) suffered a loss in Game 1 after allowing three earned runs in 4.1 innings of work. Seeley Layne appeared in relief, tossing two shutout innings while Alexis Groet pitched the final two-thirds of the seventh. In Game 2, Groet earned the start and lasted just 2.1 innings while allowing one earned run before being relieved. Hannah Ridolfi pitched 1.2 innings while striking out three and allowing two earned runs. Emily Brown (2-0) pitched the fifth inning, allowing one unearned run en route to her second career victory.

Game 1: Morehead State 3, UT Martin 1
It took a while for either team to find its offensive footing in the series opener. The Skyhawks finally got on the board in the bottom of the third inning. Fuller led off the inning with a double to left field before Bivens moved the speedster over to third with a sacrifice bunt. Standing just 60 feet from home, Fuller scored on the next play on a RBI-groundout by Clark to put the Skyhawks on the board.

After being held hitless through the first three innings, Morehead State broke through in the top of the fourth inning. Alexis Strother snapped the perfect game with a double into the left center gap before an outfield collision followed by a RBI-single by Jennifer Clausen tied the contest at 1-1.

Morehead State continued its push in the top of the fifth to take control of the contest. A leadoff walk, a passed ball and a hit by pitch all began to snowball. With runners on the corners, Strother placed a single into the left center gap to clear the bases and take a 3-1 advantage.

The Skyhawks would add a pair of base runners in both the fifth and sixth innings but could not find the game's equalizer – dropping the series opener.

Game 2: UT Martin 12, Morehead State 4 (5 innings)
Hoping to reverse the course of the opener, UT Martin looked to jump out to an early advantage and did just that in Game 2. Sheffield drove a double to right center in the first inning before coming home to score on a double just three pitches later off the bat of Kelley to take a 1-0 advantage.

Morehead State tied up the contest in the top of the third inning. Madeline Gailor led off the frame with a single to left before advancing to second on a wild pitch. After advancing to third of a flyout, Gailor motored around to score on the second wild pitch of the inning.

The margin would not remain tied for long as the Skyhawks rallied in the bottom half of the frame. Kelley opened the bottom of the third with a double to center before Clark posted the big blast of the inning with her first home run of the season to make it 3-1.

The Eagles quickly responded once again however in the top of the fourth. Trailing by two, Peyton Jordan quickly erased the deficit with a two-run home run to left field to tie the game at 3-3.

UT Martin remained aggressive after a pitching change in the bottom of the fourth inning. Chelsey Gore led off the inning with a single before moving into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Kenna Garst. Then Gore came home to score on a RBI-double by Fuller to left center to retake the lead. Fuller then swiped third and came home to score on a throwing error to put the Skyhawks up by two runs.

The Eagles cut the margin back down to one run in the top of the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Peyton Rose.

The Skyhawks looked for a little extra insurance in the bottom of the fifth and they got just what they needed. Bivens and Clark led off the inning with hits before pinch hitter Emily Gilstrap's single to center for a RBI and a bunt single by Kallie Pickens scored the team's seventh run. Fuller's third hit of the game – a single to center – scored two more runs to give the Skyhawks a five-run advantage.

Following a walk to Sheffield, it set up Kelley with a chance to end the game with a single swing of the bat. With two runners on and a five-run lead, Kelley launched a three-run blast for her 14^th home run of the season to tie the program's single-season home run mark with UT Martin Hall of Famer Jenny Bain (2009). With an eight-run lead, the home run also served as a de facto "walk-off" home run giving the Skyhawks a 12-4 win in five innings.

UT Martin will look for the series victory with the rubber match scheduled for Sunday, April 18 against Morehead State. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. from Bettye Giles Field.