Tigers latest league victim for UT Martin

Posted: Wednesday, April 4, 2012 12:00 pm

The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team completed a three-game sweep over visiting Tennessee State with a 9-1 victory Sunday afternoon at Bettye Giles Field.
With the victory, the Skyhawks improved to 24-12 overall and 13-2 in the Ohio Valley Conference. Tennessee State fell to 10-21 and 3-9 in the league. The Skyhawks have won four of five conference series and are currently sitting in first place in the league standings.
The Skyhawks were forced to battle back in the bottom of the first inning because Tennessee State pushed a run across in the top half of the inning.
After scoring two runs to take a 2-1 lead in the first inning, UT Martin scored two more runs in the bottom of the second.
The Skyhawks added four more runs in the fifth inning and finished off the Tigers in the sixth inning when they scored one more run and took advantage of the run-rule.
Junior Leah Taylor led the Skyhawks at the plate with a 3-for-4 effort, two runs scored and an RBI. Taylor also stole two bases to run her total to 21 stolen bases this season.
Freshman Lauren Smith continued to hit the ball hard for the Skyhawks as she was 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBI and a run score. Senior Jenny Bain, who had two doubles in Saturday’s doubleheader, was 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored. Junior Becca Williams was 1-for-2 with a run scored and two RBI.
The Skyhawks had 10 hits and nine runs in Sunday’s game against Tennessee State. Before this weekend the Skyhawks had scored four or less runs in their last four games (3-1).
The Skyhawks had a chance to put the Tigers away in the fifth inning as they scored four runs on three hits.
Tennessee State scored its lone run in the first inning, but had six hits in the game and left five base runners stranded. However, the Tigers did not have an extra base hit in the game. All six of their hits were bunts, slaps or singles.
SATURDAY’S GAMES
UTM 10, TSU 1
Senior Chelsea Jones improved to 15-4 on the year in the circle. She pitched a 5-inning complete game and only gave up one walk and one hit. She struck out five.
While Jones stifled the TSU bats, the Skyhawks roughed up Tiger starter Olivia Gamache (2-5), who suffered the loss. Junior Becca Williams did the most damage. Williams was 3-for-3 at the plate with two RBI. Erica Duke and Kayla Wade had two hits each. The Skyhawks collected 11 hits in the five innings.
Smith had one hit in the game, but drove in three runs. Senior Jenny Bain hit her eighth double of the season and had two RBI.
UTM 5, TSU 3
Freshman Lauren Smith broke a 3-3 deadlock in the bottom of the sixth inning with a two-run home run down the left field line. The homer was Smith’s fifth home run of the season.
Junior Leah Taylor had two hits in the game, while senior Jenny Bain and sophomore Kayla Wade each had a double.
Senior pitcher Chelsea Jones bailed out freshman Casey Vincent in the sixth inning and picked up her second win of the afternoon.
Published in The WCP 4.3.12