The Skyhawk softball team took two of three games from Tennessee Tech over the weekend, splitting a doubleheader on Saturday and winning a single game on Sunday.

Saturday’s opener, a 2-1 UTM victory, got off to an unusual start when Tennessee Tech’s coach was ejected for arguing soon after the first out had been recorded. He accused UTM starter Nicole Davis of leaving the mound and coming too close to home plate on her follow-through, an offense known as ‘crow-hopping’.

Once play resumed, Davis took control on the mound. After giving up a double and a walk, Davis retired the next five Tech hitters spanning into the third inning. Davis helped herself at the plate by homering to lead off the bottom of the second inning.

The 1-0 score would stand until the fourth inning when Megan Mizell singled to drive in Brandy Whalen, who led off the inning with a walk. The Skyhawk defense helped Davis on several occasions when the Eaglettes were able to put the ball in play. Davis, however, finished the game with seven strikeouts to limit their scoring chances. She improved her record to 9-1 on the season.

Tech stranded five runners in the game while the Skyhawks left only one on base. .

The Skyhawks jumped out to an early lead in the second game behind starter Megan Mizell, but, plagued by errors, were unable to fend off a late Tech rally, falling 8-3.

Mizell’s two-run single put the Skyhawks up, 2-0, in the first inning. On the mound, she only allowed two base runners through the first three innings.

In the fourth, the Eaglettes erased a three-run deficit by putting their first five hitters on base. One run scored on a wild throw on a bunt attempt. The next batter, Stephanie Fischer, doubled to tie the score at 3-3.

The score remained even until a two-out rally by TTU in the sixth inning. A single followed by a double drove in two more runs, putting Tech on top, 5-3.

UTM reliever Holly Templeton pitched the seventh inning, allowing the final three runs

The Skyhawks managed only two hits after the third inning. They were also hurt by base running mistakes. Whalen was thrown out retreating to first base after a fly ball out to end the third inning. Mizell made the same mistake in the fourth inning following a fly out by Fallon Lowery.

Defensively, the Skyhawks committed five errors, leading to two unearned runs for Tech. The Eaglettes pounded out eleven hits in the game and committed no errors on defense.

Mizell gave up seven hits in six innings of work, allowing five runs, four of which were earned.

In Sunday’s finale, the Skyhawks once again scored two early runs in support of Davis and held off the Eaglettes, 2-1.

Davis struck out the side in the first after giving up a leadoff single to start the game. The Skyhawks were unable to get to Tech starter Bonnie Bynum in the first inning but lit it up in the second. Davis led off with a double, which Mizell followed with a double of her own, driving in Davis.

After a sacrifice bunt by Emily Webb moved Mizell to third base, Lowery drove her home with a single to center. Tech was unable to get their offense going against Davis until the sixth inning when they got consecutive singles from their first two hitters and scored a run on a wild pitch.

After that, Davis settled down to finish her complete game and earn her tenth win of the season.

The Skyhawks were out hit, 5-4.

The win clinched the first series victory for UTM against Tech. The Skyhawks’ season record now stands at 22-8 overall and 7-2 in OVC play.

The team returns to action this week with a non-conference double-header against Ole Miss at UTM’s Bettye Giles Field on Wednesday and a three-game series at home against OVC rival Morehead State on Saturday and Sunday.