By Alex Boggis, UT Martin Assistant Sports Information Director
MURRAY, Ky. – University of Tennessee at Martin graduate outfielder Paige Clark joined select company on Saturday afternoon by eclipsing 200 career hits after going 3-for-5 out of the leadoff spot as the Skyhawks opened a three-game Ohio Valley Conference softball series at Murray State with a doubleheader at Racer Field. Despite the monumental day for Clark, the Skyhawks dropped both ends of the doubleheader by a 5-1 decision in Game 1 before falling 4-2 in Game 2.
A native of Lafayette, Tenn., Clark has been climbing both the career hits and stolen base leaderboard in her final season in a Skyhawk uniform. With a pair of hits in the series opener, Clark became just the fifth player to reach 200 career hits – joining the likes of Jenny Bain (237), Megan Williams (225), Carly Gonzales (220) and Laura Roberts (214). She also added to her stolen base total with two more, pushing her season total to 22 and her career mark to 92.
Another player who posted a standout performance in the batter’s box was junior Kallie Pickens by going 3-for-6 on the day with a home run and two RBIs. Fellow junior Shyanne Sheffield also notched a multi-hit effort with a pair of singles in the twinbill while both Katie Dreiling and Kaitlyn Kelley joined the hit column.
Both starters were hit with respective losses on the day with Alexis Groet falling to 7-4 on the season while Erin Gallagher moved to 5-2. Groet pitched 5.0 innings with seven strikeouts but allowed five earned runs. Gallagher lasted 4.2 innings while striking out five and allowing three earned runs. Dreiling appeared out of the pen in Game 1, allowing one hit and zero earned runs in one inning while Seeley Layne pitched 1.1 innings and was touched up for a solo home run.
Game 26: Murray State 5, UT Martin 1
Murray State jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the second inning when Lindsey Carroll connected on a two-strike pitch and launched a solo home run to take a one-run advantage.
That score remained the same until the top of the fourth inning when UT Martin tied it up. Sheffield continued the inning with a two-out single before an outfield error off the bat of Pickens scored the runner all the way from first.
The Racers took back the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning as the squad strung together three consecutive base hits and an eventual sacrifice fly to take a 3-1 run.
With a two-run lead in hand, Murray State put the game out of reach in the bottom of the sixth inning as a leadoff error was followed by a two-run home run by Gracie Osborn to left center – bringing the eventual final score to 5-1.
Game 27: Murray State 4, UT Martin 2
The Skyhawks jumped out early in the second game as Clark and Dreiling began the contest with back-to-back singles. While the pair was still sitting one first and second after consecutive outs, Pickens came through with a single to center which scored Clark on the play to take a quick 1-0 advantage.
The Racers quickly answered however in the bottom half of the inning. A near collision saw a ball drop in the outfield grass while the following batter worked a walk. Then with Osborn up at bat, she grounded into a fielder’s choice with a play at second but Jacque used her speed to motor all the way around from second on the infield play to score.
Murray State added another run in both the third and fifth innings via the same bat. Gilmore drove in one with a double down the left field line in the third while lacing another double to left in the fifth for her second RBI of the game.
UT Martin cut into the margin in the top of the sixth inning when Pickens tallied her second RBI of the contest by launching a solo home run to left field. The home run marked her third of the season and seventh of her career to make it a 3-2 contest.
Just after trimming the deficit down to one run, the Racers pushed their advantage right back to two in the bottom of the sixth as Fischer hit a solo home run to left center. The homer would mark the final score of the contest, giving Murray State the doubleheader sweep.
Game 28: Murray State 3, UT Martin 0
The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team dropped its series finale by a final score of 3-0 at Ohio Valley Conference rival Murray State on Sunday to wrap up the three-game road series.
The Skyhawks (18-10, 3-3 OVC) tallied three hits on the afternoon. Three different players registered base knocks with Paige Clark, Kaitlyn Kelley and Kaci Fuller each reaching the hit column while Clark’s double marked the team’s lone extra-base hit.
Murray State (22-8, 6-0 OVC) came into the weekend as the hottest team in the league and lived up to the hype by pushing its winning streak out to 12 games. The Racers jumped out to an early advantage with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning as back-to-back hits by Jensen Striegel and Logan Braundmeier drove in two.
UT Martin’s best scoring opportunity came in the fourth inning when Clark led off the inning with a double down the right field line before later advancing to third on a single to left by Kelley. While runners sat on the corners with one out, back-to-back groundouts ended the inning.
After getting out of the jam in the top half of the inning unscathed, the Racers added the game’s final run in the bottom of the fourth as Lily Fischer launched her second solo home run in as many days to make it a 3-0 contest.
Alexis Groet (7-5) was hit with the loss after the starter gave up three earned runs in 3.1 innings of work. Erin Gallagher appeared in relief, pitching 2.2 scoreless innings where she struck out four and allowed just one hit in an impressive outing.
UT Martin returns to action on Tuesday, March 29 with a road matchup at Southeastern Conference foe Ole Miss. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. with the game slated to be broadcast on SEC Network+.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information