By Alex Boggis, UT Martin Assistant Sports Information Director
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team went on the road and challenged defending Ohio Valley Conference champion Southeast Missouri with a pair of back and forth contests on Wednesday afternoon before narrowly dropping both ends of today’s doubleheader by final scores of 4-3 and 5-4, respectively.
The Skyhawks (27-16, 12-7 OVC) fought the Redhawks throughout both contests but could not find the separation needed to pull away in a pair of seesaw battles at the Southeast Softball Complex. While UT Martin fought back in the opener from a two-run deficit along with holding three leads in the finale, Southeast Missouri seemed to always have an answer on the way to a pair of one-run victories in a key league matchup.
UT Martin rattled off 15 hits on the afternoon while slugging two home runs in the Show Me State. Five different players tallied multiple hits – including three-hit performances on the day from Avry Blume and Shyanne Sheffield. Joining in the action with a pair of two-run home runs was the tandem of Kallie Pickens and Maddi Long.
The pitching staff hit a bump with nine earned runs scattered over 12 innings of work in Wednesday’s doubleheader. Alexis Groet (10-7) and Erin Gallagher (10-3) suffered both losses. Groet struck out seven in 6.0 innings of action while Gallagher lasted 5.0 innings with one strikeout in five innings.
Game 42: Southeast Missouri 4, UT Martin 3
The game’s scoring got underway in the second inning when Southeast Missouri (24-19, 14-7 OVC) jumped out to a two-run advantage when Kelby Robinson drove in a pair of runs on a single on the left side of the infield.
The Skyhawks then cut the margin in half in the top of the third after Emily Gilstrap reached to lead off the inning on catcher’s interference. A pair of singles by Kaci Fuller and Shyanne Sheffield later loaded the bases before a sacrifice fly to left scored the team’s first run off the bat of Kaitlyn Kelley.
The margin would remain the same until the bottom of the fifth inning when the Redhawks strung together three consecutive hits to end the inning. A two-out double to left by Kynzie Wrigley extended the inning before Abigail Rickermann plated the run on a single to center.
Facing a two-run deficit heading into the sixth inning, UT Martin looked to fight back. Sheffield tallied her second hit of the game to lead off the frame before Pickens tied the game up with a moonshot onto the road past the left field wall for her fifth home run of the season.
Unfortunately, the score didn’t remain tied for long as Southeast Missouri retook the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth off a solo home run to left field by Aubrie Shore to tally the game’s deciding run.
Game 43: Southeast Missouri 5, UT Martin 4
After never holding an advantage in the series opener, the Skyhawks were the first on the board in Game 2. With two scoreless innings in the books for both teams, Gilstrap led of the frame with a single up the middle before advancing into the scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. Following a single to left center by Fuller to put runners on the corners, the Skyhawks used a well-timed and executed squeeze play by Sheffield to score Gilstrap from third and take an early 1-0 lead.
Much like in Game 1, the Redhawks immediately answered in the bottom half of the inning as back-to-back hits by Rickermann and Paige Halliwill set up the scoring opportunity as the tandem stood on the corners with no outs. SEMO then used its speed to tie the game as a double steal of second and home knotted the game at one with Rickermann crossing the plate.
The offensive streak continued in the fourth inning for the Skyhawks despite a leadoff single being whipped away after interference resulted in a double play. With two quick outs on the board, Blume singled down the left field line to continue the frame before Long turned on the fifth pitch she saw and launched her fourth home run of the season to left to take a 3-1 advantage.
Southeast Missouri looked for a quick answer in its half of the inning and delivered with three hits – including a two-run triple to right center by Wrigley to tie the game once again.
With neither team getting on the board in the fifth, it was UT Martin which struck next in the sixth inning. An error off the bat of Pickens proved costly for the Redhawks before two more singles in the inning later resulted in the go-ahead run, including a RBI by Blume to take the 4-3 lead.
Down but not out, the Redhawks responded yet again, this time with two runs to take the lead. Two quick singles by Tatum Gerwitz and Kat Sackett set up the inning but it was another clutch two-run knock by Wrigley which proved to be the difference in the game and lift SEMO to the eventual 5-4 victory.
UT Martin will return to action this weekend with its final home series of the season when playing host to Austin Peay for a three-game series. With potential inclement weather moving into the area, the series has been slightly altered with a single game on Saturday, April 30 with a tentative first pitch at 1 p.m. The Skyhawks will then host their Senior Day festivities prior to the doubleheader on Sunday, May 1. Senior recognitions will begin at approximately 11:45 a.m. with first pitch slated for noon.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information