SKYHAWK SOFTBALL DROPS OPENING GAME OF SERIES TO SIUE

Friday, April 22

Edwardsville, Ill.

4 p.m.

UT Martin

25-14, 10-5

SIUE

15-26, 6-12

UT Martin

SIUE

SKYHAWK SOFTBALL DROPS OPENING GAME OF SERIES TO SIUE

4/22/2022 7:41:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Stats PDF: Game 39

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team dropped the opening game of its three-game Ohio Valley Conference series to SIUE on Friday afternoon by a final score of 4-1.

The Skyhawks (25-14, 10-5 OVC) tallied six hits in the contest – one less than the Cougars – but fell victim to a big fifth inning by the hosts. After both teams scored one run in the early frames, the game came down to a three-run fifth inning to lift SIUE to a series-opening victory.

Junior Kallie Pickens paced the team with two hits on the day – including the team's lone RBI on her 12^th double of the season in the second inning. She was joined in the hit column by a top-heavy batting order with five of the first six batters in the lineup scratching a hit as Paige Clark, Kaitlyn Kelley, Katie Dreiling and Shyanne Sheffield added to the team's total.

The pitching staff saw three different Skyhawks in the circle in the opener as Erin Gallagher earned the start and scattered three hits over 2.1 innings. Dreiling was the first reliever out of the bullpen but was hit with the loss after being charged with three runs in 3.1 innings. The day was wrapped up by a strikeout from Emily Brown.

SIUE (15-26, 6-12 OVC) jumped on the board in the first inning after a leadoff walk came back to haunt the Skyhawks. Lexi King drew a leadoff walk before moving over to third on a sacrifice bunt and pop fly on consecutive at bats. The go-ahead hit came from Lauryn Yslava as she lined a single to center to tally the RBI.

The Skyhawks quickly responded in the following half inning after Sheffield tallied an infield hit to set up the scoring chance. With speed on the basepaths, Pickens ripped a double down the left field line to score Sheffield from first, tying the game at one run apiece.

The score remained the same until the bottom of the fifth inning when the Cougars saw their first two batters reach safely on a hit and a walk before a successful sacrifice moved the pair into scoring position. The following play saw the lead sway to SIUE's advantage on a RBI groundout by Grace Lueke before Yslava gave the squad some extra cushion with a two-run home run to center – making the score 4-1 and ultimately deciding the contest.

The two teams will return to action on Saturday, April 23 for the final two games of the series with first pitch from Cougar Field getting underway at noon.