UT MARTIN SOFTBALL SLUGS ITS WAY TO 8-4 WIN OVER TENNESSEE TECH IN OVC OPENER

Saturday, March 19

Martin, Tenn.

2 p.m.

UT Martin

14-7, 1-0

Tennessee Tech

17-7, 0-1

Tennessee Tech

UT Martin

UT MARTIN SOFTBALL SLUGS ITS WAY TO 8-4 WIN OVER TENNESSEE TECH IN OVC OPENER

3/19/2022 5:54:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Stats PDF: Game 21 Photo Gallery

MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team used two big home runs to power its way past visiting Tennessee Tech on Saturday afternoon with an 8-4 victory to open Ohio Valley Conference play at Bettye Giles Field.

The Skyhawks (14-7, 1-0 OVC) entered the contest as the league's top scoring offense and lived up to that billing by scoring eight runs on the afternoon. UT Martin tallied eight hits in the contest with six of those going for singles while a pair of home runs by Katie Dreiling and Kaitlyn Kelley highlighted significant scoring innings in the third and fourth.

Tennessee Tech (17-7, 0-1 OVC) came into the contest riding an eight-game winning streak and took an early advantage by scoring two runs in the top of the third inning on a leadoff home run by Savannah Talley and a RBI single by Sydney Love-Baker. While UT Martin had tallied a hit in each of the first two innings, it was the team's third hit which proved to be a difference maker as a two-run home run off the bat of Dreiling sailed over the batter's eye in deep centerfield to tie the game at 2-2.

UT Martin kept its momentum going in the bottom of the fourth inning where it exploded for six runs in the frame. The Skyhawks tallied four hits over the course of the inning as Kaci Fuller led off with a single up the middle before Shyanne Sheffield walked to put two runners on. Following a sacrifice bunt by Avry Blume to move the pair into scoring position, Anna Hazlewood put down a perfect bunt of her own to reach base and secure a RBI to put the home squad on top. The Skyhawks added two more runs on the ensuing pair of at-bats with a RBI groundout by Emily Gilstrap followed by a single down the left field line by Paige Clark to take a 5-2 advantage.

Gallery: (3-19-2022) Softball vs. Tennessee Tech

With a lead in hand, the Skyhawks were still not done scoring in the fourth inning as Dreiling worked a five-pitch walk with two outs. As runners stood on first and second, Kelley put the game out of reach with her fourth home run of the season coming on a three-run laser over the left field wall to bring the score to 8-2.

The Golden Eagles chipped away at the deficit with a two-run shot of their own in the top of the fifth inning by Haeli Bryson but Tech would get no closer than the final margin of 8-4 down the stretch.
Alexis Groet picked up her seventh win of the season for the Skyhawks in the circle. Groet pitched six innings, allowing four earned runs while striking out four. Dreiling pitched the top of the seventh, retiring all three batters in order.

Offensively, Clark and Fuller led the Skyhawks with two hits each while five different players notched RBIs in the victory. Kelley led the team with three RBIs while Dreiling wasn't far behind with two.

For the Golden Eagles, Alyssa Arden (9-5) was hit with the loss after giving up eight earned runs in 3.2 innings of work while Tyler Erwin appeared in relief with 2.1 strong scoreless innings. Meanwhile, Bryson paced the team in the batter's box by going 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs while Love-Baker and Talley also drove in runs.

The two squads will return to action with a doubleheader slated for Sunday, March 20. Action from Bettye Giles Field is scheduled to get underway at Noon while both games will be broadcast on ESPN+.