By Alex Boggis, UT Martin Assistant Sports Information Director
MARTIN, Tenn. – Junior Katie Dreiling did a little bit of everything for the University of Tennessee at Martin softball team to lift the squad to a 10-4 victory over Ohio Valley Conference rival Tennessee Tech on Friday afternoon.
The Skyhawks (13-17, 6-6 OVC) opened the three-game series on the right foot after exploding for six runs in the opening frame and adding on in the later innings to cruise to a 10-4 victory.
Leading the way for the Skyhawks was the play of Dreiling who did damage both in the batter’s box and in the pitching circle. At the plate, Dreiling went 3-for-3 with a single and two home runs, marking the first multi-home run performance of her Skyhawk career. Meanwhile, she pitched in relief and picked up her seventh win of the season after tossing four shutout innings while allowing just one base hit.
While Dreiling was the heralded star of the game for the Skyhawks, Avry Blume and Jordyn Hustey also produced multi-hit performances with two hits each. A well-rounded effort also led to the team’s scoring output as Dreiling, Hustey, Brooklynn Linneman and Kierston Nixon each drove in two runs each.
Tennessee Tech (3-32, 0-10 OVC) dropped its 12th consecutive game after giving up 13 hits to the home team. After a rough start by the starter Gracelyn Woollen (0-7), who was chased after giving up six runs in 0.2 innings of work, Callie Piper kept the Golden Eagles in the contest through the first couple frames until falling victim to four late runs.
Despite the lop-sided margin, the Golden Eagles did find nice offensive afternoon’s in their own lineup with two individuals posting multi-hit games. Savannah Talley led the team by going 2-for-3 with three RBIs out of the seventh spot in the lineup while Abby Shoulders also went 2-for-3 out of the leadoff spot.
UT Martin jumped out to an early lead in the contest as the team opened up the bottom of the first with back-to-back solo home runs by Kaci Fuller and Dreiling – both clearing the centerfield wall. After the early fireworks to open the frame, the Skyhawks added four more runs later in the inning off a two-run single to left field by Nixon which was followed up by a double to the left center wall which also cleared the bases to give the home team a quick 6-0 advantage.
Tennessee Tech did not go away quietly after the shell-shock of the opening inning as Talley put the visitors on the board with a RBI single to centerfield to score Carmen Betts in the second inning. The Golden Eagles then trimmed the deficit down to two runs with a big third inning as three consecutive base knocks by Talley, Ella Bishop and Kayli Harris brought the margin down to a 6-4 score.
The margin stayed the same until the bottom of the fifth inning when the Skyhawks looked for some additional breathing room. Following a well-placed bunt single by Blume, Hustey drilled a run-scoring double over the centerfielder to add a run.
Then in the sixth inning, UT Martin effectively put the game out of reach with three runs to reach double figures in the scoring column. After hitting a solo home run in the first inning, Dreiling went deep again with a solo home run over the right field wall for her fifth homer of the season. Another run came home when pinch hitter Annie Gutierrez drove the first pitch she saw up the middle for an RBI-single. Looking for one last run, Hustey added her second RBI of the day with a single through the left side to give the Skyhawks its 10-4 advantage.
The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team took care of the Ohio Valley Conference series victory with a strong 6-2 victory in the first half of today’s doubleheader against visiting Tennessee Tech before fighting back to score four runs in the final two innings and complete the series sweep with a 5-4 extra-innings win in the finale.
Despite facing early deficits in both games, the Skyhawks (15-17, 8-6 OVC) found a way to comeback and win both matchups. A big second inning in Game 1 of the doubleheader proved to be the difference in the decision as the Skyhawks tallied five runs while the UT Martin erased a three-run deficit in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings and ultimately sweep the series.
Several players provided valuable contributions for the Skyhawks as all 16 available players saw action. Offensively, graduate infielder Kaitlyn Kelley posted a 3-for-6 afternoon with a home run and three RBIs to her line score while also remaining busy on the defensive side with nine putouts and six assists. Freshman Jordyn Hustey also had a three-hit afternoon while Katie Dreiling joined the trio with a multi-hit effort of her own.
While Kelley paced the team with three RBIs in the twinbill, juniors Maddi Long and Kaci Fuller also drove in a pair of runs en route to a winning effort.
In the pitching circle, Dreiling (8-5) capped off a strong weekend with six innings of work while allowing zero earned runs on her way to a second win in the series. While Brooklynn Linneman, Ashtyn Green and Anna Hazlewood combined to pitch 6.2 innings in the series finale, it was Emily Brown (1-0) who was the victor after tossing 2.1 scoreless frames for her first win of the campaign.
Tennessee Tech (3-34, 0-12 OVC) saw its losing streak reach 14 games with the tough afternoon. The Golden Eagles launched three home runs on the day with Meaghan Houk, Carmen Betts and Makayli Harris each getting on the board. Meanwhile in the pitching circle, the tandem of Gracelyn Woollen and Callie Piper allowed just three earned runs over 12.1 innings of work.
Game 31: UT Martin 6, Tennessee Tech 2
After trailing the entire game on Friday, Tennessee Tech looked to get out on the right foot to start Saturday’s doubleheader by scoring in the top of the first inning. After a fielding error on the first at bat of the game, the Golden Eagles made the Skyhawks pay as Betts launched a two-run home run down the left field line to take an early 2-0 advantage.
The Skyhawks responded in a big way in the bottom of the second inning to not only erase the deficit but take a lead of their own which would ultimately decide the game. Back-to-back singles by Avry Blume and Hustey started the frame before a walk by Hazlewood loaded the bases with one out. UT Martin made the most of its opportunity by working two consecutive walks from Kyrsten Brown and Fuller to tie the game. With the contest all squared up once again, the tandem of Dreiling and Kelley came through with back-to-back singles to plate two more runs before the inning was capped off with Fuller scoring the team’s fifth run on a wild pitch.
The scoring slowed down after the big second inning until UT Martin added their sixth and final run of the game on a solo home run to right center by Kelley to take a 6-2 lead. The home run marked the 31st of Kelley’s illustrious Skyhawk career, moving her just two home runs shy of second place in program history.
Game 32: UT Martin 5, Tennessee Tech 4 (Eight innings)
The second game of the day followed a similar script with the road team reaching the scoreboard first via the long ball. TTU opened the scoring in the top of the third inning courtesy of a solo shot to right center by Harris. The Golden Eagles then pushed their advantage out to two runs in the top of the fifth as Houk hammered a solo blast over the left field wall.
The Skyhawks cut their new deficit in half in the bottom of the fifth inning after Gutierrez led off the frame with a single up the middle. Following a sacrifice bunt to move the runner into scoring position, the team’s next two batters would reach courtesy of a fielding error and a walk to load the bases. Needing to get on the board, Kelley lofted a sacrifice fly deep enough into left field to score Gutierrez on the play and bring the score to 2-1.
Tennessee Tech responded in the following inning by padding its margin with two more runs. Haeli Bryson added to the Golden Eagles’ advantage with an RBI-single up the middle before another single by Nicolle Nysted into right field got away and allowed the visitors to push their lead out to 4-1.
Facing a three run deficit with three outs to go, the Skyhawks got to work in the bottom of the seventh. The inning got started with a pinch-hit single by Kiersten Nixon before being replaced by starting shortstop Kyrsten Brown at first base. After TTU got the next two outs, a pair of wild pitches proved costly as Kyrsten Brown moved from second to home on the two wilds balls. With the deficit trimmed to two runs, Kelley drew a five-pitch walk before Kallie Pickens reached on an error to give the Skyhawks new life. A passed ball moved the pair into scoring position and set up Long who drilled a game-tying single through the right side to knot the score at 4-4 and second the contest to extra innings.
Following a 1-2-3 inning by Emily Brown in the circle, the Skyhawks got back to work in the bottom of the eight to try and steal the comeback victory. A walk by Gutierrez put the go-ahead runner on base while pinch runner Kennedy Brown entered to leave her mark on the game. Kennedy Brown quickly got to work by reading a pair of wild pitches and scampering all the way over to third base to put the game-winning run 60 feet from home. Her twin sister Kyrsten Brown then drew a four-pitch walk of her own before stealing second base to put two runners in scoring position with one out. Needing to only put the ball in play, Fuller did just that as she ripped a groundout down the first base line and allowed the go-ahead run to score on the play.
UT Martin returns to action on Tuesday, Apr. 11 when playing host to Memphis to cap off a four-game homestand. First pitch from Bettye Giles Field is slated for 3 p.m.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information