MARTIN, Tenn. – SIUE softball and UT Martin split a doubleheader Saturday at Bettye Giles Field. A Sunday noon contest will serve as the rubber game of the series.
SIUE, 14-19 overall and 7-4 in the Ohio Valley Conference, were victorious in game one 5-3 in eight innings but dropped the nightcap 8-0 in five innings.
Avery Arwood struck out a career-high 12 batters in game one of the doubleheader. The sophomore right-hander improved to 3-3 for the season and now has a team-leading 53 strikeouts in 57 innings pitched.
The Cougars were first on the scoreboard in the opening inning thanks to a two-run double by Raegan Duncan.
It was Duncan who provided the RBI hit again in the fifth, a single down the right field line that drove home Juztyne Torres.
UT Martin tied the game up in the sixth, but the game-winner came in the eighth for SIUE.
With two outs, Betsy Woodward kept the inning alive with a double. Abby Harvell collected the eventual game-winning RBI on a double to put SIUE ahead 4-3. Harley Limberger added an RBI single that brought Harvell home from second.
Natalie Kreuziger took the loss for UT Martin, now 20-15 overall and 8-3 in the OVC after Saturday’s action.
In game two, the Skyhawks rallied behind winning pitcher Ashtyn Green for a five-run fourth inning and a game-winning two runs in the bottom of the fifth.
McKayla Anderson took the loss for SIUE and is now 2-3.
