The UTM softball team dropped both ends of its Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) series opening doubleheader to Eastern Kentucky on Friday afternoon by final scores of 2-1 and 6-4 at Bettye Giles Field.
The Skyhawks (16-7, 6-5 OVC) outhit the Colonels on the afternoon but could not squeak across the game-winning run in either contest. UTM tallied 13 hits on the day while its two home runs in Game 2 marked the squad’s lone extra base hits on the afternoon.
Shyanne Sheffield paced the Skyhawks with three base hits on the day while the quartet of Paige Clark, Kallie Pickens, Kaci Fuller and Macey Neal also recorded a pair of base knocks. Kaitlyn Kelley led the team with two RBIs – both coming on a two-run home run – while Sheffield, Fuller and Neal also drove in a run each.
Alexis Groet (6-2, 1.54 ERA) and Erin Gallagher (4-3, 3.19 ERA) were hit with losses on the afternoon in the circle. Groet struck out five while allowing one earned run in five innings in Game 1 while Hannah Ridolfi pitched two perfect innings in relief. Gallagher started Game 2, allowing three earned runs in three innings of work before turning the game over to Ridolfi, who made her second appearance of the day, allowing two earned runs in 2.1 innings. Seeley Layne pitched the final 1.2 scoreless innings.
Game 1: Eastern Kentucky 2, UTM 1
The game got off to a rocky start for the Skyhawks in the first inning as Groet issued a pair of walks before an error compounded the troubles to load the bases with one out. With the bases juiced, the Colonels remained patient and drew another four-pitch walk to score the game’s first run without a hit in the inning. Despite the early troubles, Groet would settle down to get out of the inning and limit the damage to the one run.
EKU added another run in the top of the fifth inning after Sammi Miller worked a five-pitch walk before coming around to score on a RBI-double to right center by Carly Robinson to take a 2-0 advantage.
UTM responded in the bottom half of the inning with a rally as Fuller singled to the pitcher with a bunt before moving into scoring position by swiping second and advancing to third on a wild pitch. With the runner just 60 feet away from home, Sheffield drove the run home with an infielder chopper to cut the margin in half and make it 2-1. Despite the late rally, that would serve as the team’s lone run in the contest.
Game 2: Eastern Kentucky 6, UTM 4
Similar to the first game of the day, an error proved costly for the Skyhawks in the top of the first inning. A muffed catch resulted in an error on the first play of the game before later coming around to score on a sacrifice fly by Vianna Barron.
The Skyhawks tied he contest back up in the bottom of the second inning as Bivens led off the frame with a single to center before later moving all the way to third on a sacrifice bunt and a single to right field by Pickens. After a quick steal by Pickens on a strikeout call to put both her and Bivens in scoring positions with two outs, Neal came through in the clutch to put a single through the left side and tie the game at 1-1.
Not to be outdone, EKU came right back to retake the lead in the top of the third inning. A single by Miller led off the frame before Barron’s second RBI of the contest – this time off a single to right center – gave the visitors a 2-1 advantage.
The Colonels chased Gallagher out of the game in the top of the fourth inning with two more runs. Miranda Lopez drove in a run with a dribbler to second in the frame while Miller’s sacrifice fly to center put EKU up by three.
UTM cut into the margin in the bottom of the fifth inning as Fuller turned on an 0-2 pitch and parked it on the deck in right center field for a solo home run for her third of the season.
The home run trend would continue in the top of the sixth but for the visitors as the Colonel duo of Miller and Ariyana Miranda went back-to-back with solo shots to give EKU a 6-2 lead.
With the Skyhawks down to their final three outs of the contest, the team looked for one last rally. Fuller reached base with one out after ripping a line drive down the first base line which resulted in an error by the first baseman. Then with the team down to its final out, Kelley sent an opposite field two-run home run over the right field wall for her 11th homer of the season to cut the margin to 6-4 – the game’s final margin.
UTM will look to salvage the final game of the series on Saturday, March 27 against Eastern Kentucky. First pitch from Bettye Giles Field is scheduled for noon.
