By Alex Boggis, UT Martin Assistant Sports Information Director
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – For the first time in program history, the University of Tennessee at Martin softball team has been picked as the preseason favorites to win the Ohio Valley Conference championship as voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors. On top of that, graduate infielder Kallie Pickens has been tabbed as one of the league’s top performers as an OVC Softball Player to Watch.
UT Martin recorded a piece of history with its first-place prediction. The Skyhawks earned 11 of 18 first place votes while snagging 123 points overall.
Behind the Skyhawks was Southeast Missouri in second place with seven first place votes and 119 points overall. The Redhawks were followed by Tennessee Tech (91), Eastern Illinois (86), Southern Indiana (70), SIUE (61), Lindenwood (45), Tennessee State (30) and Morehead State (23).
The Skyhawks are coming off a 2022 campaign which saw the squad boast a 34-19 overall record while going 17-8 in conference play to finish third. The team’s 17 wins marked the most win against conference foes since the 2012 campaign while the squad posted 5.79 runs per game, 8.28 hits per game and had 278 RBIs which each ranked second in program single-season history. The Skyhawks also led the OVC in batting average (.305), runs (307), hits (439), RBIs (278) and fielding percentage (.970).
Pickens enters her final season as a fifth-year starter for the Skyhawks. While boasting a .306 career batting average and 67 RBIs in 161 games, she boasted her best season to date in 2022. The third baseman posted a .329 batting average with 33 runs scored, 16 doubles, two triples, five home runs and 39 RBIs. Along with reaching base at a .360 percentage, she slugged .539 on the season on her way to All-OVC second team honors.
The Jackson, Tenn. native ranked fourth in the OVC with 16 doubles while sitting amongst league leaders during conference play in triples (two, second), batting average (.383, sixth), total bases (51, sixth), slugging percentage (.630, seventh) and hits (31, eighth). She also tallied 14 multi-hit games while notching a pair of four-hit performances against SIUE and Tennessee State.
Along with Pickens in the heart of the lineup, the Skyhawks return eight starters for last year’s squad. Senior infielder Shyanne Sheffield was the team’s lone All-OVC first team honoree last season while Pickens was joined on the All-OVC second team by junior Kaci Fuller. Joining that group as returning starters is Kaitlyn Kelley, Katie Dreiling, Avry Blume, Maddi Long and Anna Hazlewood.
UT Martin opens the season on Friday, Feb. 10 at the Stinger Classic in Montgomery, Ala.
2023 OVC Softball Predicted Order of Finish
- UT Martin (11 first-place votes) – 123
- Southeast Missouri (7 first-place votes) – 119
- Tennessee Tech – 91
- Eastern Illinois – 86
- Southern Indiana – 70
- SIUE – 61
- Lindenwood – 45
- Tennessee State – 30
- Morehead State – 23
2023 OVC Softball Players to Watch
Morgan Lewis, OF, Gr. – Eastern Illinois
Amanda Weyh, Sr. P – Lindenwood
Madeline Gailor, Sr., OF, Morehead State
Paige Halliwill, Jr., OF, Southeast Missouri
Lauryn Yslava, So., OF, SIUE
Josie Newman, So., P/INF, Southern Indiana
Marisa Mauroschadt, Sr., OF, Tennessee State
Haeli Bryson, Gr., INF, Tennessee Tech
Kallie Pickens, Gr., INF, UT Martin
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information