By Alex Boggis, UT Martin Assistant Sports Information Director
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team opened its second tournament of the season with a pair of matchups in the Evansville Invitational but came up on the short end of both contests, falling to Green Bay by a final score of 6-5 before dropping a 3-2 contest against Kansas City.
After having last weekend’s opening tournament washed out for the final two contests, the Skyhawks (1-2) were eager to return to action on Saturday. UT Martin strung together seven combined runs in the two games – mainly courtesy of the long ball with the squad launching two home runs in both contests.
Junior Avry Blume had a big day to lead the Skyhawks offensively as she cranked two home runs and drove in four RBIs in the twinbill. Reigning OVC Player of the Week Kaci Fuller also had a nice evening as she went 5-for-8 at the plate with two doubles, a home run and one RBI. Graduate slugger Kaitlyn Kelley also joined in the action with a solo home run – the 27th of her career.
In the circle, the junior tandem of Emily Brown and Brooklyn Linneman had nice days in relief, combining for zero earned runs in six innings of work. Brown saw action in both games, allowing one unearned run in two innings of action. Meanwhile, Linneman pitched four innings against Green Bay, striking gout five while allowing just two hits.
Game 2: Green Bay 6, UT Martin 5
Green Bay wasted very little time getting on the board in its second contest of the day, scoring four runs in the opening frame of the contest to put the Skyhawks in an early hole. The Phoenix pushed their first runs across the plate on a two-run single by Paige Hanson with the bases loaded. Then on the next at bat, with two runners in scoring position, Hailey Heckenlaible broke the game wide open with a two-run single to left field.
The Phoenix added another run in the top of the second inning as Brown entered the game in relief of Katie Dreiling with the bases loaded and one out. Brown got a double play on a sacrifice fly and a putout, but the run crossed the plate before the final out was recorded to give Green Bay a 5-0 advantage.
The game looked to be getting away from the Skyhawks in the third inning as the frame opened with back-to-back outs before a pair of singles placed runners on the corners. Green Bay then attempted a double steal which resulted in a run coming home via an error to put UT Martin at a five-run deficit.
Down but not out, UT Martin started its comeback attempt in the bottom of the third. Fuller put the Skyhawks on the board with an opposite field home run – her first of the season – to make the score 6-1.
The Skyhawks big inning came in the fourth when they plated four runs to cut the deficit down to a single run. A leadoff single by Maddi Long was followed by a double down the left field line from Kiersten Nixon to put a pair of runners in scoring position. With a prime opportunity at hand, Blume smoked a three-run home run to center to give the Skyhawks life. Later in the inning, the bases would become loaded following back-to-back singles and a hit by pitch which Kallie Pickens put in play to register an RBI.
Still trailing by one run, UT Martin’s best chance to tie the game came in the six inning after back-to-back singles by Fuller and Dreiling set up an opportunity, but the Phoenix would strand the runners on base and eventually come away with the one-run victory.
Game 3: Kansas City 3, UT Martin 2
The second game of the day started out slow with neither team getting in the scoring column until the third inning when Amelia Fitzgerald led off the frame with a solo blast down the left field line. With the big fly in their pocket, Kansas City added another run on a single up the middle by Lexy Smith to take a two-run advantage.
The Skyhawks quickly answered in the following half inning as Kelley and Blume hit back-to-back solo home runs to tie the game just three batters into the inning. Kelley laced her 27th career home run down the left field line while Blume’s second home run of the day went to right center.
The game would remain tied until the bottom of the sixth inning. The Skyhawks got two quick outs in the inning but a pair of walks and a single spelled trouble for the squad. With the bases loaded and two outs on the board, the Roos received their game-winning run courtesy of a hit by pitch of Katherine Karnatz to take a 3-2 lead which they would not relinquish in the top of the seventh.
UT Martin will play the same two teams on Sunday with a matchup against Green Bay scheduled for 11:30 a.m. following by another showdown with Kansas City at 4:30 p.m.
The second game of the day set up to be a pitcher duel. Linneman had a strong start in the circle, holding the Phoenix hitless for the five innings. During that stretch, the junior newcomer struck out six batters while holding the shutout.
Green Bay finally burst through in the bottom of the sixth inning after stringing together four two-out hits. Back-to-back singles set up Jadin Justman for a scoring opportunity as she stroked a double into left center to score the game’s first run. With one run on the board, the Phoenix added a second run on a single up the middle by Samantha Saloun to give the squad a 2-0 advantage.
After scattering five hits over the first six innings, the Skyhawks could not find the offensive firepower down the stretch to tie the game up in the seventh inning, dropping the tightly contested matchup.
UT Martin will return to action next weekend when competing in The Spring Games in Madeira Beach, Fla.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information