The UT Martin Softball team will open its home slate in the 2020 season this week. The Skyhawks will host Horizon League foe Green Bay in a doubleheader at Bettye Giles Field on Thursday afternoon.
The Skyhawks are off to a 4-5 start to the 2020 campaign, which marks year one under the leadership of Coach Brian Dunn. UT Martin has opened the season with a pair of tournaments in non-conference action.
First up was the Southeastern Louisiana Classic in Hammond, Louisiana. In a Friday doubleheader, UT Martin posted a split, losing Game 1 to Buffalo 4-3, before bouncing back to defeat Alabama State 5-0. Saturday was another split day for the Skyhawks as they defeated Alabama State once again, this time 6-0, before dropping a heartbreaker to host Southeastern Louisiana 6-5 in 9 innings. In the finale on Sunday, UT Martin crushed Grambling State 9-1.
Over the weekend, UT Martin traveled Denton, Texas for the North Texas Invitational. This trip did not prove as fruitful, as UTM struggled to a 1-3 record on the weekend. The offense struggled on Saturday, getting shutout twice 2-0 to Creighton, and then 8-0 to Missouri State. The breakthrough came on Sunday as UT Martin outlasted Abilene Christian 4-3 in 8 innings, before dropping a heartbreaker 2-1 to host North Texas.
Offensively, Sophomore Chelsey Gore leads the team with a .520 batting average with 13 hits, 5 runs scored, and 2 triples on the season. Purdue transfer Shyanne Sheffield has also provided a nice spark, hitting .391 with 9 hits, and 7 RBIs on the young season. Senior Hannah Ridolfi leads the pitching staff with a 0.91 ERA in 6 appearances on the season.
Game 1 of Thursday's doubleheader starts at Noon, with Game 2 to follow 30 minutes after.
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