UT MARTIN SOFTBALL CONCLUDES REGULAR SEASON WITH DOUBLEHEADER AT SEMO - UTM Athletics (2024)

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team concluded the regular season portion of the 2023 schedule with a doubleheader matchup at Southeast Missouri on Sunday, falling by final scores of 9-0 and 5-2.

The Skyhawks conclude the regular season with a 21-22 overall record while going 13-10 in Ohio Valley Conference play. Despite the setback on the final weekend, UT Martin has still secured a top-four seed in the OVC Softball Championship to be contested in Oxford, Ala. from May 10-13 at Choccolocco Park.

With the series sweep of the Skyhawks, Southeast Missouri wrapped up the 2023 OVC regular season championship with a 19-1 record in league play. The Redhawks took care of business at home where they went undefeated at the Southeast Softball Complex for the second straight season.

In today's doubleheader, eight Skyhawks tallied base hits with Kiersten Nixon pacing the team with two base knocks overall. Kallie Pickens drove in the team's lone run of the twinbill by hitting a solo home run – her seventh of the season – in the series finale.

Game 42: Southeast Missouri 9, UT Martin 0 (Five innings)
Southeast Missouri jumped out to an early lead with three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Alyson Tucker got the Redhawks on the board with a single to right field before a two-run double off the bat of Kat Sackett plated the team's third run of the frame.

The Redhawk landed a haymaker in the third inning with six runs on five hits. Sydney Dennis scored two runs with a triple to right field before Sackett added her third RBI of the game with a single down the right field line to take a six-run advantage. SEMO was not done as Kynzie Wrigley padded the advantage with a double to left center which was followed by an RBI groundout by Tatum Gerwitz to take a 9-0 lead.

The Skyhawks were no match for the high-powered Redhawk offense as they mustered just one hit in the contest and went down in order in the final two frames before the game was called early after the fifth inning.

Game 43: Southeast Missouri 5, UT Martin 2
Looking to shake things up in the Game 2, the Skyhawks jumped out on front as Pickens launched a solo home run on the second at bat of the contest to take an early lead.

SEMO found the equalizer with a solo home run of its own in the bottom of the second inning as Tucker homered down to left center to tie the game at 1-1.

The Redhawks later took the lead in the third inning as a double to right center from Aubrie Shore scored two while Tucker also added a run-scoring double to take a 4-1 advantage.

The Skyhawks mounted a small rally in the fifth inning as the first three batters reached base in the frame before a fielder's choice brought in one run to score for the visitors. The visitors found base runners in both the sixth and seventh inning, but stranded a pair in each inning and ultimately dropped the regular season finale 5-2.

UT Martin awaits its seed and first round matchup in the OVC Softball Championship. While the Skyhawks have concluded the regular season, other OVC programs still have a final three-game series on the docket next weekend before the tournament bracket is announced.