FULLER AND LONG LEAD SKYHAWKS TO EXTRA INNINGS VICTORY OVER TENNESSEE STATE

Saturday, March 25

Martin, Tenn.

3:30 pm

UT Martin

10-13, 3-3

Tennessee State

13-13-1, 4-2

Tennessee State

UT Martin

FULLER AND LONG LEAD SKYHAWKS TO EXTRA INNINGS VICTORY OVER TENNESSEE STATE

3/25/2023 6:27:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Game 23: PDF

MARTIN, Tenn. – The junior tandem of Kaci Fuller and Maddi Long played big roles for the Skyhawks by driving in five runs in the final two innings to lift the University of Tennessee at Martin softball team to an extra-innings victory over Tennessee State on Saturday afternoon by a final score of 6-3.

The Skyhawks (10-13, 3-3 OVC) received big plays down the stretch after trailing for the majority of the game. Trailing by two runs and down to their final two outs in the seventh inning, Long came off the bench to hit a double off the center field wall to put a pair of runners in scoring position. Then after exiting the contest in the first inning with an injury, Fuller re-entered in the bottom of the seventh and tied up the contest with a two-run single right up the middle.

With the game all knotted up and heading to extra innings, UT Martin looked to ride its momentum in the bottom of the eighth. After a pair of outs to lead off the frame, Anna Hazlewood once again kicked off the rally by drawing a walk before Kyrsten Brown put runners on the corners with a full-count single to right field. Needing that last hit, Long barreled up a 0-1 pitch and sailed it over the left field wall for a walk-off three run blast to give the Skyhawks the victory.

Four players registered multiple hits for the Skyhawks with Fuller and Long being joined by Katie Dreiling and Kaitlyn Kelley in the hit parade. Long led the team with three RBIs courtesy of her second home run of the season while Fuller added two and Kelley also drove in a run.

Brooklynn Linneman pitched 5.2 strong innings for the Skyhawks to start the game while striking out three and allowing two earned run – both of which came on solo home runs. Dreiling (5-3) entered in relief in the sixth inning and earned her fifth win of the season after allowing just one hit over the final 2.1 innings of work.

Tennessee State (13-13-1, 4-2 OVC) was limited to just four hits but still did damage with its opportunities as Nahtali Simpson and Onnika Spencer each tallied solo home runs while Ryla Taylor also put the Tigers on the board with a single in the sixth inning. Meanwhile in the pitching circle, Caitlyn Manus (10-9) pitched an impressive outing with 10 strikeouts in 7.2 innings.

The two teams will return to action on Sunday, March 26 when playing a doubleheader to wrap up the three-game series beginning at 1 p.m. Both contests will be streamed on ESPN+.