SIX SKYHAWKS EARN ALL-OVC SOFTBALL HONORS
5/9/2023 8:26:00 PM | Softball
The league's head coaches and sports information directors voted Kaci Fuller as an All-OVC first team selection. Meanwhile, the trio of Kaitlyn Kelley, Avry Blume and Katie Dreiling were tabbed to the All-OVC second team. Rounding out the list were a pair of All-Newcomer selections by Brooklynn Linneman and Kiersten Nixon.
Hailing from Huntingdon, Tenn., Fuller won the league's overall batting title after pacing the OVC and ranking amongst national leaders with a .413 batting average. Along with her potent batting average, she tallied 23 runs scored, 57 hits, nine doubles, three triples, seven home runs and 29 RBIs. She boasted a .449 on-base percentage and .674 slugging percentage to post an impressive 1.123 OPS which ranked third in the league. Along with earning a pair of OVC Player of the Week honors, the junior outfielder opened the season with a 16-game hitting streak while tallying 17 multi-hit outings, including a season-best performance against Valparaiso when she notched four hits and five RBIs. This marks the third All-OVC selection for the program's all-time leader in batting average (.383).SB: Congratulations to @UTMSoftball junior outfielder Kaci Fuller on being named to the All-OVC first team!
— UT Martin Athletics (@UTMSports) May 10, 2023
🥎 OVC Batting Champion (.413 average)
🥎 9 2Bs | 3 3Bs | 7 HRs | 29 RBIs
🥎 3x All-OVC honoree
🥎 .383 career batting average (1st at UTM)#MartinMade | #OVCit | #OVC75 pic.twitter.com/rHibMtu1Nh
Kelley, a Lexington, Tenn. native, has played and started in all 43 games for the Skyhawks this season at second base. Kelley turned it up in OVC play where she boasted a .347 batting average while hitting .283 overall with nine doubles, eight home runs and 21 RBIs. Along with ranking as the program's all-time leader in slugging percentage (.582) while sitting second in UT Martin history with 34 home runs, she is a two-time All-OVC selection after also earning first team honors in 2021. The slugger has tallied eight multi-hit performances while notching multi-RBIs in four games.SB: Congratulations to @UTMSoftball graduate infielder Kaitlyn Kelley on being named to the All-OVC second team!
— UT Martin Athletics (@UTMSports) May 10, 2023
🥎 .347 | 6 2Bs | 5 HRs | 15 RBIs in OVC play
🥎 2x All-OVC honoree
🥎 Ranks 2nd in UTM history with 34 HRs#MartinMade | #OVCit | #OVC75 pic.twitter.com/37PmZRF5S8
SB: Congratulations to @UTMSoftball junior outfielder Avry Blume on being named to the All-OVC second team!
— UT Martin Athletics (@UTMSports) May 10, 2023
🥎 .284 | 6 2Bs | 4 HRs | 19 RBIs
🥎 Perfect Fielding % in CF
🥎 9 multi-hit games#MartinMade | #OVCit | #OVC75 pic.twitter.com/2K3AwcUlwK
A 2022 OVC All-Newcomer selection, Blume elevated her game in her second season in a Skyhawk uniform. The Belvidere, Ill. native posted a .284 batting average with 21 runs scored, six doubles, four home runs and 19 RBIs on the season. Her season included a seven-game hitting streak while adding nine multi-hit performances. She played in 35 games in center field while adding a .986 fielding percentage with 70 putouts and two outfield assists.
Hailing from Jonesboro, Ark., Dreiling has been a valuable contributor for the Skyhawks on both sides of the ball. In the batter's box she posted a .321 batting average with 15 runs scored, three doubles, 10 home runs and 21 RBIs. She's notched a .420 on-base percentage to go with a .616 slugging percentage for an OPS of 1.045 on the year. The dual-threat posted nine multi-hit efforts while driving in a career-high five runs and hitting three home runs in a series against Lindenwood. Meanwhile in the pitcher's circle, she notched a 12-7 record with a 2.90 ERA in 96.2 innings of work. She was especially impressive against OVC foes where she won nine of the team's 13 league victories and posted a 1.67 ERA in 16 appearances. She was rewarded for her play during the regular season by being named both OVC Player and Pitcher of the Week on separate occasions.SB: Congratulations to @UTMSoftball junior designated player/pitcher Katie Dreiling on being named to the All-OVC second team!
— UT Martin Athletics (@UTMSports) May 10, 2023
🥎.321 | 3 2Bs | 10 HRs | 21 RBIs
🥎9-4 | 1.67 ERA in OVC play
🥎Led OVC with 8 HRs in OVC play#MartinMade | #OVCit | #OVC75 pic.twitter.com/hOjXuBNQGl
Linneman, a Cleves, Ohio native, was a consistent performer for the Skyhawks in the pitching circle where she appeared in 25 games and led the team with 20 starts and three shutouts in her debut season. She posted a 6-6 record with a 2.86 ERA in 95.1 innings of work while striking out 79 batters and issuing just 33 walks. She limited opponents to a .235 batting average while posting shutouts against Valparaiso, Christian Brothers and Southern Indiana while adding a combined shutout against Morehead State.SB: Congratulations to @UTMSoftball junior pitcher Brooklynn Linneman on being named to the OVC All-Newcomer team!
— UT Martin Athletics (@UTMSports) May 10, 2023
🥎6-6 | 2.86 ERA
🥎95.1 Innings
🥎3 Shutouts#MartinMade | #OVCit | #OVC75 pic.twitter.com/EKNegmjWoY
A native of O'Fallon, Mo., Nixon was a two-way player for the Skyhawks in her debut season on the way to All-Newcomer honors. She posted a .284 batting average while adding 13 runs scored, six doubles, six home runs and 17 RBIs at the plate. She also made 15 appearances in the circle where she tossed 56.0 innings and picked up one victory. Her best game came against Memphis when she tied a school single-game record with three home runs in the neutral site matchup.SB: Congratulations to @UTMSoftball junior outfielder/pitcher Kiersten Nixon on being named to the OVC All-Newcomer team!
— UT Martin Athletics (@UTMSports) May 10, 2023
🥎.284, 6 2Bs, 6 HRs, 17 RBIs
🥎Tied school record with 3 HR game
🥎 Pitched 56.0 innings | 50Ks#MartinMade | #OVCit | #OVC75 pic.twitter.com/JIxvqAmWoS
The Skyhawks will open their quest for the 2023 OVC Softball Championship title on Wednesday, May 10 at 5:30 p.m.
