BIG FOURTH INNING LIFTS SKYHAWKS TO 7-1 WIN OVER TSU IN SERIES OPENER

Saturday, May 7

Nashville, Tenn.

4 p.m.

UT Martin

30-17, 15-8

Tennessee State

15-37, 6-20

UT Martin

Tennessee State

BIG FOURTH INNING LIFTS SKYHAWKS TO 7-1 WIN OVER TSU IN SERIES OPENER

5/7/2022 9:57:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Stats PDF: Game 47

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Locked in a scoreless contest heading into the fourth, the University of Tennessee at Martin softball squad plated five runs in a breakout inning to propel the team to a 7-1 road victory over Tennessee State in the opening game of the team's final Ohio Valley Conference series of the season.

The win improved the Skyhawks to 30-17 on the season and 15-8 in league play to rank the team in third place in the conference standings heading into the final day of the regular season. The victory also secured the team's 30^th win of the season, marking the first time the Skyhawks have eclipsed that threshold since the 2017 season when the squad ultimately earned the program's third postseason berth with an appearance in the inaugural National Invitation Softball Championship.

Fresh off of graduating with their bachelor's degree in Martin earlier this morning, the trio of Emily Gilstrap, Kaitlyn Kelley and Kallie Pickens still made it to Nashville in time for first pitch while Kelley and Pickens celebrated by going 2-for-4 at the plate. While three players tallied multi-hit outings in the contest, it was graduate outfielder Paige Clark's lone hit of the contest – a three-run double to clear the bases in the fourth inning – which broke the game open to cap off a five-run fourth inning.

While the offense came through with a big inning to propel the team to victory, it was the team's consistent pitching through all seven innings which left no doubt in the final result. Alexis Groet (13-7) picked up her 26^th win in a Skyhawk uniform after allowing just one run while striking out six over five innings of work. Following her strong start were two impressive innings of shutout relief by Katie Dreiling who allowed just one hit and forced six groundouts.

Tennessee State (15-37, 6-20 OVC) was officially eliminated from contention for an OVC Championship berth with today's loss. The Lady Tigers saw five different players register base hits while Ryla Traylor came through with the team's lone RBI in the contest. Raven Loveless (4-16) was hit with the loss in the circle after allowing seven earned runs in a complete game effort.

Neither team could find much of an offensive rhythm through the first three innings of play with the Skyhawks being limited to just one hit until the Skyhawks changed the game's momentum in the fourth. The frame opened with three consecutive hits by Shyanne Sheffield, Kelley and Katie Dreiling – with the latter driving in the game's first run with a single through the left side. Later in the inning with two outs, UT Martin would load the bases with back-to-back walks by Maddi Long and Gilstrap to set up Clark for a key plate appearance which she cashed in by lacing a three-run double off the center field wall to clear the bases and give the Skyhawks a 5-0 lead.

TSU scratched a run back in the bottom half of the inning as Kayli Mothershed singled up the middle before being relieved by pinch runner Mikayla Duke. A bunt single by Anayah Baker put runners on first and third with no outs to set up Traylor who drove in the team's lone run with a sacrifice fly to left.

The score would remain a four-run margin until the Skyhawks added two more runs in the top of the seventh. Kaci Fuller started off the scoring sequence with a single before moving into scoring position as Sheffield worked a walk to put a second runner on the basepaths. After a passed ball moved the pair into scoring position, Kelley added two runs to her RBI total with a single up the middle and brough the score to its final tally of 7-1.

UT Martin will close out the regular season with a doubleheader against Tennessee State on Sunday, May 8. First pitch from Nashville is scheduled for 1 p.m.