By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
OXFORD, Ala. – When all was said and done in the second game for the Tennessee Tech softball team on Wednesday in the Ohio Valley Conference Softball Championship, the Golden Eagles had a great opportunity against UT Martin in the seventh inning.
After all, trailing 5-4 with the bases loaded and two out, there was a great chance for Tech to take the lead back and advance in the winner's bracket.
Abby Buettner battled, taking a 2-2 count and fouling off another pitch. The sixth pitch in the sequence, however, seemed to be a routine foul ball. Instead, UT Martin first baseman Kaitlyn Kelley ran the ball down, slid into the infield wall and made the catch for the game-ending out.
It was a tough-luck 5-4 loss to the Skyhawks, but the Golden Eagles (32-21) still live to fight another day. Tech will play the loser of Murray State and Southeast Missouri at 5:30 p.m. in an elimination contest.
Alyssa Arden had a great start after pitching the complete-game victory against Eastern Illinois. She threw four nearly perfect frames – a no-hitter going through four and a third innings -- to begin the contest, but UT Martin struck for a run in the fifth, then four more in the sixth. Arden ended the game allowing five runs – four earned – on five hits, walking four and striking out four.
Tyler Erwin pitched the final two-thirds, yielding one hit.
Tech had the lead in the third inning as Brooklin Richardson reached on a single, then Mackenzie Fitzgerald drilled a home run to left field to give Tech a 2-0 lead.
The advantage held through the fifth as UTM halved the lead on a Paige Clark double down the left field line. UTM took a 4-2 lead on Kelley's three-run home run, then Maddie Long made it 5-2 on an RBI double to left center.
The Golden Eagles loaded the bases in the top of the seventh with two down and got runs across as Haeli Bryson was walked on five pitches, then Sydney Love-Baker was hit by a pitch.
Richardson ended the game 3-for-3 with two runs scored for Tech.
Erin Gallagher (12-3) earned the victory, allowing three runs in 6 1/3 innings, walking none and striking out three. Katie Dreiling went a third of a frame, allowing one run on one hit with two walks, while Alexis Groet claimed the save, closing out the final third.
Photo | Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information