Saturday, May 1
Martin, Tenn.
1 p.m.
UT Martin
vs
Austin Peay
UT MARTIN SOFTBALL SET TO HOST AUSTIN PEAY FOR SENIOR WEEKEND AT BETTYE GILES FIELD
4/29/2021 12:35:00 PM | Softball
MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team will play host to Ohio Valley Conference foe Austin Peay for a three-game series beginning on Friday, April 30 at 4 p.m. The two teams will then conclude the series with a doubleheader matchup along with Senior Day festivities on Saturday, May 1 with action scheduled to get underway at 1 p.m. at Bettye Giles Field.
Friday afternoon's matchup is slated to be streamed on ESPN+. Prior to Saturday's contest, UT Martin will honor its two seniors Aalia Bivens and Hannah Ridolfi prior to first pitch with Senior Day Festivities tentatively scheduled to get underway at approximately 12:45 p.m.
The Skyhawks (24-14, 13-10 OVC) return home after playing their last four games on the road – including a recent OVC matchup at Belmont in which the team took two out of three contests. UT Martin enters the series needing to make up some ground in hopes of claiming one of the top four spots in the OVC Softball Championship. With a 13-10 league record, the Skyhawks currently sit in sixth place and 3.5 games out of the fourth spot held by Jacksonville State with up to 10 conference games to play.
UT Martin's offense has been up to par this season, ranking fifth nationally in doubles (72), sixth in doubles per game (1.89) and 20th in batting average (.322). The squad also leads the OVC in batting average (.322), runs (223), hits (349), doubles (71), total bases (528), slugging percentage (.486), on-base percentage (.336), sacrifice hits (46) and fielding percentage (.964).
Freshman Kaci Fuller leads the team offensively in several categories while ranking first in the OVC in triples (four) while sitting second in hits (47) and stolen bases (21). Sophomore Kaitlyn Kelley recently set the program's single-season home run record with her 15th blast while leading the OVC in RBIs (45), slugging percentage (.806) and total bases (100).
The pitching staff is anchored by reigning OVC Pitcher of the Week Alexis Groet who boasts an 11-3 record with a 1.37 ERA in 97.0 innings of work. She has tallied two shutouts while recording 98 strikeouts and limiting opponents to a .208 batting average. Erin Gallagher (5-5, 3.41 ERA) has also tallied 15 starts this season, tallying 72 strikeouts in 76 innings of work.
Austin Peay (23-13, 18-10 OVC) enters the weekend in third place in the league standings with six conference games to play. The Governors have dropped four straight contests, including a three-game sweep on the road at SIUE last weekend.
The Governors are led offensively by Lexi Osowski who paces the team and ranks second in the OVC with a .423 batting average while tallying eight doubles, five home runs and 23 RBIs. Kelsey Gross is another top contributor with a .308 batting average, six doubles, two triples, four home runs and 38 RBIs. The team's pitching staff is well balanced by the trio of Jordan Benefiel (7-5, 1.83 ERA), Kelsey Gross (8-2, 2.25 ERA) and Harley Mullins (7-6, 5.47 ERA).
These two programs have met 103 times previously with UT Martin holding a 70-33 advantage in the all-time series dating back to 1986. Austin Peay has won the last five contests since 2018 while the two teams did not meet during the 2020 campaign. The Skyhawks hold a 45-13 record at Bettye Giles Field against the Governors.
Friday afternoon's matchup is slated to be streamed on ESPN+. Prior to Saturday's contest, UT Martin will honor its two seniors Aalia Bivens and Hannah Ridolfi prior to first pitch with Senior Day Festivities tentatively scheduled to get underway at approximately 12:45 p.m.
The Skyhawks (24-14, 13-10 OVC) return home after playing their last four games on the road – including a recent OVC matchup at Belmont in which the team took two out of three contests. UT Martin enters the series needing to make up some ground in hopes of claiming one of the top four spots in the OVC Softball Championship. With a 13-10 league record, the Skyhawks currently sit in sixth place and 3.5 games out of the fourth spot held by Jacksonville State with up to 10 conference games to play.
UT Martin's offense has been up to par this season, ranking fifth nationally in doubles (72), sixth in doubles per game (1.89) and 20th in batting average (.322). The squad also leads the OVC in batting average (.322), runs (223), hits (349), doubles (71), total bases (528), slugging percentage (.486), on-base percentage (.336), sacrifice hits (46) and fielding percentage (.964).
Freshman Kaci Fuller leads the team offensively in several categories while ranking first in the OVC in triples (four) while sitting second in hits (47) and stolen bases (21). Sophomore Kaitlyn Kelley recently set the program's single-season home run record with her 15th blast while leading the OVC in RBIs (45), slugging percentage (.806) and total bases (100).
The pitching staff is anchored by reigning OVC Pitcher of the Week Alexis Groet who boasts an 11-3 record with a 1.37 ERA in 97.0 innings of work. She has tallied two shutouts while recording 98 strikeouts and limiting opponents to a .208 batting average. Erin Gallagher (5-5, 3.41 ERA) has also tallied 15 starts this season, tallying 72 strikeouts in 76 innings of work.
Austin Peay (23-13, 18-10 OVC) enters the weekend in third place in the league standings with six conference games to play. The Governors have dropped four straight contests, including a three-game sweep on the road at SIUE last weekend.
The Governors are led offensively by Lexi Osowski who paces the team and ranks second in the OVC with a .423 batting average while tallying eight doubles, five home runs and 23 RBIs. Kelsey Gross is another top contributor with a .308 batting average, six doubles, two triples, four home runs and 38 RBIs. The team's pitching staff is well balanced by the trio of Jordan Benefiel (7-5, 1.83 ERA), Kelsey Gross (8-2, 2.25 ERA) and Harley Mullins (7-6, 5.47 ERA).
These two programs have met 103 times previously with UT Martin holding a 70-33 advantage in the all-time series dating back to 1986. Austin Peay has won the last five contests since 2018 while the two teams did not meet during the 2020 campaign. The Skyhawks hold a 45-13 record at Bettye Giles Field against the Governors.
Players Mentioned
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