Saturday, April 11
Martin, Tenn.
12 p.m.
UT Martin
vs
Western Illinois
Skyhawks Host Western Illinois For Alumni Weekend Saturday and Sunday
4/10/2026 2:30:00 PM | Softball
MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team wraps up a four-game home stand at Bettye Giles Field Saturday and Sunday with a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series against Western Illinois. The games will be broadcast live on ESPN+ with play-by-play from Chris Brinkley and analysis from Eddie Suiter.
About The Skyhawks
The Skyhawks are coming off a heartbreaking, mid-week, 10-inning 4-3 loss to former OVC rival UT Martin Tuesday at home. The Skyhawks got out to a 3-0 lead in the game, but the Leathernecks rallied for the 4-3 extra-inning win. The seven extra-inning games the Skyhawks have played so far this season is the most since 2009, when they played 11.
Multiple Skyhawks currently lead the OVC in various individual statistical categories. Sami Scholtz currently sports the league's lowest ERA at 2.94, to go along with a 6-4 record, two saves, 51 strikeouts, and an opponent's batting average of .204. Offensively, Carly Ward leads four Skyhawks batting over .300 with the league's second-best batting average at .429. In the power categories, Avary Makarewicz leads the OVC in home runs and RBIs at eight and 36, respectively, and has the second-highest slugging percentage in the league at .712. On the base paths, Kennedy Brown is tied for the most stolen bases in the OVC at a perfect 16-for-16.
As a team, the Skyhawks are currently batting .288 and have the best ERA in the league at 4.23. They are currently 22nd in the nation in total stolen bases (71) and 30th in stolen bases per game (1.82). Additionally, UT Martin ranks 14th in Division I with 14 triples and 17th nationally with 0.38 triples per game. The Skyhawk pitching staff is currently second in the nation in hit batters, striking just five opponents so far this season.
About The Leathernecks
Western Illinois enters the weekend at 10-22 overall and 5-9 in league play, after falling on the road at Illinois Tuesday.
As a team, Western Illinois hits .299 on the season, while opponents hit .336 against them. Payton Brown currently leads the Leathernecks at the plate with a .408 batting average and 31 RBIs, leads the league in slugging percentage at .755 and is tied with Makarewicz for most home runs in the OVC with eight. Angie Ortiz follows Brown with a .341 average, while Kam Utendorf and Maria Luna are hitting .324 and .323, respectively.
In the circle, the Leathernecks have a team ERA of 6.38, a WHIP of 2.21, average 4.39 strikeouts per seven innings and have a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 0.83. Libby Haislip has served as the ace for Western Illinois this season and is 6-10 on the year with a team-low ERA of 5.23, a team-high 59 strikeouts and an opponent's batting average of .316. Meanwhile, Lillie Wools is 3-5 with an ERA of 6.46, 24 strikeouts and an opponent's batting average of .356.
The Series With Western Illinois
UT Martin leads the all-time series with the Leathernecks at 6-3 and is 3-3 against them since they joined the league two seasons ago, with each team winning their own home series, two games to one. In Martin, the Skyhawks have lost just one of five meetings with Western Illinois at Bettye Giles Field.
The Race To Peoria
The Skyhawks enter the weekend in second place in the league standings, three games behind first-place Eastern Illinois and a half game ahead of third-place Tennessee Tech. Meanwhile, the Leathernecks currently hold the eighth and final spot in next month's OVC Softball Championship in Peoria, with a 2.5-game lead over ninth-place Morehead State and 2.5 games out of a three-way tie for fifth place.
Weekend Happenings
This weekend is Alumni Weekend at Bettye Giles Field, as the Skyhawks welcome back former players to the place they called home while wearing the blue and orange. Throwing out the first pitch Saturday will be Mrs. Jill Warren, a member of the 1985 inaugural, then Lady Pacers, softball team.
The Skyhawks will also be supporting Shirley Hann, the wife of Skyhawk men's basketball assistant coach Sèllè Hann, as she is currently battling Stage III breast cancer. A table will be set up behind the Skyhawk dugout, where fans can donate to the Hann family via Venmo, to help cover expenses during their three-month relocation to Seattle for treatment. Fans can also pre-order "Shirley Strong" hoodies, with all proceeds going to the family.
About The Skyhawks
The Skyhawks are coming off a heartbreaking, mid-week, 10-inning 4-3 loss to former OVC rival UT Martin Tuesday at home. The Skyhawks got out to a 3-0 lead in the game, but the Leathernecks rallied for the 4-3 extra-inning win. The seven extra-inning games the Skyhawks have played so far this season is the most since 2009, when they played 11.
Multiple Skyhawks currently lead the OVC in various individual statistical categories. Sami Scholtz currently sports the league's lowest ERA at 2.94, to go along with a 6-4 record, two saves, 51 strikeouts, and an opponent's batting average of .204. Offensively, Carly Ward leads four Skyhawks batting over .300 with the league's second-best batting average at .429. In the power categories, Avary Makarewicz leads the OVC in home runs and RBIs at eight and 36, respectively, and has the second-highest slugging percentage in the league at .712. On the base paths, Kennedy Brown is tied for the most stolen bases in the OVC at a perfect 16-for-16.
As a team, the Skyhawks are currently batting .288 and have the best ERA in the league at 4.23. They are currently 22nd in the nation in total stolen bases (71) and 30th in stolen bases per game (1.82). Additionally, UT Martin ranks 14th in Division I with 14 triples and 17th nationally with 0.38 triples per game. The Skyhawk pitching staff is currently second in the nation in hit batters, striking just five opponents so far this season.
About The Leathernecks
Western Illinois enters the weekend at 10-22 overall and 5-9 in league play, after falling on the road at Illinois Tuesday.
As a team, Western Illinois hits .299 on the season, while opponents hit .336 against them. Payton Brown currently leads the Leathernecks at the plate with a .408 batting average and 31 RBIs, leads the league in slugging percentage at .755 and is tied with Makarewicz for most home runs in the OVC with eight. Angie Ortiz follows Brown with a .341 average, while Kam Utendorf and Maria Luna are hitting .324 and .323, respectively.
In the circle, the Leathernecks have a team ERA of 6.38, a WHIP of 2.21, average 4.39 strikeouts per seven innings and have a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 0.83. Libby Haislip has served as the ace for Western Illinois this season and is 6-10 on the year with a team-low ERA of 5.23, a team-high 59 strikeouts and an opponent's batting average of .316. Meanwhile, Lillie Wools is 3-5 with an ERA of 6.46, 24 strikeouts and an opponent's batting average of .356.
The Series With Western Illinois
UT Martin leads the all-time series with the Leathernecks at 6-3 and is 3-3 against them since they joined the league two seasons ago, with each team winning their own home series, two games to one. In Martin, the Skyhawks have lost just one of five meetings with Western Illinois at Bettye Giles Field.
The Race To Peoria
The Skyhawks enter the weekend in second place in the league standings, three games behind first-place Eastern Illinois and a half game ahead of third-place Tennessee Tech. Meanwhile, the Leathernecks currently hold the eighth and final spot in next month's OVC Softball Championship in Peoria, with a 2.5-game lead over ninth-place Morehead State and 2.5 games out of a three-way tie for fifth place.
Weekend Happenings
This weekend is Alumni Weekend at Bettye Giles Field, as the Skyhawks welcome back former players to the place they called home while wearing the blue and orange. Throwing out the first pitch Saturday will be Mrs. Jill Warren, a member of the 1985 inaugural, then Lady Pacers, softball team.
The Skyhawks will also be supporting Shirley Hann, the wife of Skyhawk men's basketball assistant coach Sèllè Hann, as she is currently battling Stage III breast cancer. A table will be set up behind the Skyhawk dugout, where fans can donate to the Hann family via Venmo, to help cover expenses during their three-month relocation to Seattle for treatment. Fans can also pre-order "Shirley Strong" hoodies, with all proceeds going to the family.
Players Mentioned
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