The Skyhawk softball squad ventured to East Tennessee to take on sister school and Southeastern Conference (SEC) opponent No. 20 Tennessee in Knoxville on Feb. 25.
Despite the steep competition, the Skyhawks didn’t take long to get the ball rolling. Junior outfielder (OF) Paige Clark kicked things off for UTM in the top of the first with a leadoff single to get an early base presence.
A sacrifice fly ball and a fielder’s choice advanced Clark into prime scoring position. Clark got her scoring chance off of a fielding error by Tennessee’s second base Chelsea Seggern, putting the Skyhawks up 1-0 on the Vols at the end of the first.
Senior pitcher Hannah Ridolfi carried the Skyhawks through the first two innings unscathed, but Tennessee pulled out a strong third inning to storm back into the match.
The top of the third started off well for UTM. Senior OF Aalia Bivens, reigning Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Player of the Week, hit a sacrifice fly to send sophomore infielder (IF) Chelsey Gore home and put the Skyhawks up 2-0. However, that lead evaporated as quickly as it came.
UTM’s defense buckled when they were called upon in the bottom of the third. Ridolfi surrendered a two-run home run to KK McCrary of the Vols that tied UTM and Tennessee up at two each.
Innings four through six featured a drought of offensive production for either side, as the 2-2 tie remained all the way up until the bitter end. The Skyhawks failed to take a lead in their last offensive stint in regulation, and the Vols made them pay.
In the bottom of the seventh, with only one run needed for the Vols to close out the game, an infield error by UTM put a runner on base. Tennessee’s Kiki Millroy managed to steal second, setting up a walk-off RBI double for Seggern that resulted in a 3-2 Tennessee victory.
Offensively, UTM put up a fight with five total hits, led by sophomore third base Kallie Pickens (2). Unfortunately for the Skyhawks, it just wasn’t enough.
All three of UTM’s pitchers got some time on the pitching mound, with Ridolfi starting the first three innings before junior pitcher Seeley Layne took over. Sophomore pitcher Erin Gallagher (5-3), who was credited with the loss, closed out the game for the Skyhawks. In 1.1 innings pitched, Gallagher allowed two hits and one run (unearned) while recording one strikeout.
The Skyhawks (9-8) will return to action on Mar. 28 in the Mississippi State Snowman where they will face Alcorn State in game one.
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