The UTM softball team wrapped up its first weekend of competition with a perfect slate, sweeping Day 2 of the Black and Gold Tournament with wins over Alabama A&M (9-3) and Evansville (6-1).
The Skyhawks (4-0) kept their bats hot on Day 2, posting a team batting average of .448 while tallying six extra-base hits and 14 RBIs in the doubleheader sweep. The squad also used their feet by swiping five bases in the two games. On the pitching and defensive side, UTM posted a 2.00 ERA on the afternoon while committing just one error.
Freshman Kaci Fuller was spectacular once again out of the leadoff spot, going 7-for-8 with a double and two RBIs while tallying three stolen bases. Eight different Skyhawks tallied multiple hits on the day – including three hits each for the quartet of Maddi Long, Kallie Pickens, Chelsey Gore and Macey Neal while combining for nine RBIs between them.
Sophomore Alexis Groet (1-0, 0.00 ERA) notched her first Skyhawk victory against Alabama A&M, striking out seven and allowing just one hit in four innings of work. Junior Seeley Layne (1-0, 1.24 ERA) started against Evansville and earned the victory after striking out six and allowing one run in 4.2 innings of work. Hannah Ridolfi appeared in relief in the first game of the day, allowing three earned runs in three innings while Erin Gallagher struck out six in 2.1 innings of relief in the second contest.
Game 3: UTM 9, Alabama A&M 3
UTM got the morning contest started with a run in the first inning as Fuller led off the game with a single through the right side before moving into scoring position by swiping second. Her time on second was short as she came home to score on an RBI single by Gore.
The Skyhawks added to their margin in the top of the fourth with a pair of runs. A leadoff single by Aalia Bivens was followed by Pickens’ third double of the season to put the tandem in scoring position. From there Neal drove in the pair with a single to give the Skyhawks a 3-0 lead.
A two-out rally resulted in four runs for UTM in the fifth inning as Pickens reached on a single before Neal pulled her first career home run down the right-field line. Back-to-back base hits by Long and a double by Fuller placed a pair of runners in scoring position before Gore drove in the pair to make it a 7-0 contest.
After Groet posted four dominating innings, the Skyhawks turned to Ridolfi in relief who stumbled in the final inning. Alabama A&M led off the bottom of the seventh with a home run down the left field line by Rachael McKinney to break the shutout. The Bulldogs would add two more runs in the bottom of the seventh on RBIs by pinch hitter Gabriela Belyeu and Serena Herbranson to bring the final margin to 7-3.
Game 4: UTM 6, Evansville 1
Evansville jumped out to an early lead in the contest as Eryn Gould opened the game with a triple to right field before coming home to score on a sacrifice fly by Halie Fain.
UTM evened the game up in the bottom of the third inning. Much like in the first game of the day, Fuller led off the inning with a single before swiping second base to move into scoring position. After getting moved over on a sacrifice bunt, the freshman scampered home on a sacrifice bunt RBI by Pickens to tie the contest at 1-1.
The Skyhawks capitalized on some mistakes in the bottom of the fourth to take their first advantage. The first two batters would reach base in the frame on a hit by pitch and an error before being moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. Shyanne Sheffield put the squad on top with a bunt single to score Neal before a two-RBI single by Fuller gave the Skyhawks a 4-1 advantage.
The home team on the scoreboard added to their margin in the bottom of the sixth inning as Kaitlyn Kelley cranked a solo home run. The Skyhawks would add their final run of the afternoon on a wild pitch to plate freshman Anna Blanton and make it a 6-1 contest.
UTM will return to action next week at the Tennessee Invitational running Feb. 25-27.
