The UTM softball team’s final trip to Jacksonville State with the Gamecocks a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) ended on a high note as the Skyhawks swept Saturday’s doubleheader to post the program’s first series victory in Jacksonville since 2004.
The Skyhawks (11-5, 3-3 OVC) used strong pitching performances all afternoon while finding timely hitting to key a comeback attempt in the first game of the doubleheader en route to a 5-2 win while scratching out a 5-4 extra-innings victory in the rubber match.
The series win marks just the second time the Skyhawks have won a road series against Jacksonville State in program history, also winning 2-of-3 against the Gamecocks back in 2004. This weekend marked the final OVC regular season series for the Skyhawks and Gamecocks as Jacksonville State will join the ASUN Conference at the conclusion of the season.
UTM tallied 12 hits on the day while driving in six RBIs. Freshman Kaci Fuller led the team with four base hits while sophomore Kallie Pickens tallied three base knocks – including a triple in the top of the eight inning which proved to be the game-winning run in the series finale. Freshman Macey Neal ranked as the other Skyhawk with multiple base hits on the afternoon while sophomore Kaitlyn Kelley drove in three RBIs.
Sophomore Alexis Groet (4-1, 1.17 ERA) was tremendous all weekend for the Skyhawks. Groet picked up wins in both contests, allowing two earned runs in 12.0 innings of work with a 1.17 ERA. She pitched a compete game in the first game of the afternoon, allowing two runs. Her name was called again in relief of Erin Gallagher who pitched 3.0 innings and allowed two earned runs in the finale, where she was at times dominating by allowing just one hit in five innings of work.
Game 1: UTM 5, Jacksonville State 2
UTM jumped on the board in the top of the first inning looking to make a statement after last night’s extra-inning matchup. Fuller worked a leadoff walk to start the frame before moving all the way to third on a sacrifice bunt. The speedster’s time on third would be short as she later came home to score on a sacrifice fly by Kelley to take an early 1-0 advantage.
Groet was holding the Gamecocks in check until the bottom of the sixth inning when they finally got on the board. A pair of singles spelled trouble before a double to right center by Alexus Jimmerson put the Gamecocks on the board and into the lead 2-1.
Down to their final three outs in the top of the seventh, the Skyhawks remained patient as Neal and Gracie Lusk drew walks before Kenna Garst was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. With a prime scoring chance at hand, Fuller lined a single to center field to score the tying run before Kelley later found a game-winning single of her own to clear the bases – driving in a pair while the third run scored on a fielding error by the catcher – to give the Skyhawks a 5-2 advantage and the eventual win.
Game 2: UTM 5, Jacksonville State 4 (Eight innings)
It took a little bit for both teams to find their footing in the second half of today’s doubleheader, waiting until the fourth inning to get going. The Skyhawks opened the frame with a walk followed by three straight singles by Clark, Lusk and Neal for the game’s first run. Three more runs would come home to score for the Skyhawks to punctuate a four-run inning on errors off the bats of Pickens and Gore.
Jacksonville State wasted little time responding, however, scoring four runs themselves in the bottom half of the fourth. A single and a pair of walks loaded the bases before three consecutive singles by Jada Terry, Shelby Newsome and Alex Howard tied the game at four runs each.
The score would remain tied until the top of the eighth inning as the Skyhawks and Gamecocks went to extra innings for the second day in a row. Hoping to reverse yesterday’s fortunes, Pickens led off the frame with a triple to left field before coming home to score the game-winning run following a pitching change on a wild pitch. The Skyhawks would tally another hit in the inning but the damage was done.
JSU made a late charge in the bottom of the eighth to find the tying run, loading the bases but the Skyhawks would get an innocent fly out to end the game and secure the doubleheader sweep.
UTM will take a break from OVC play with a doubleheader matchup at SWAC member Jackson State on Tuesday, March 16 beginning at 1 p.m.
