In the longest game in the history of Bettye Giles Field, UT Martin outlasted the University of Evansville softball team to take a 3-2 win in 14 innings in Martin, Tenn.
Evansville (11-23) posted seven hits on the day, led by Brittany Hay. The senior hit a home run and brought both runs in for the Purple Aces. Elyse Hickey went 1-4 on the day and walked twice. UE pitched extremely well in the contest with starter Jaime Nurrenburn giving up an unearned run in five innings. Morgan Florey tossed three innings of 1-run ball while Ashleigh Downing went the final 5 1/3 and gave up just four hits and a run.
Leading UT Martin (20-22) was Savannah Dodson, who had three hits in six plate appearances.
The pitchers had the upper hand early on with the first hit of the day coming in the third inning as UT Martin posted the first knock of the game. Evansville recorded its first two hits in the top of the fourth and plated the first run of the day.
Mea Adams led off with a bunt single before Lindsay Renneisen followed with a bunt single of her own. Eryn Gould flew out to center to advance the runners to second and third to bring Brittany Hay to the plate. In a great play, Hay brought Adams home on a squeeze play to give the Aces the lead.
UT Martin tied it up in the bottom half of the fifth one a Rachel Williams RBI single. Her hit scored Paige Clark, who singled to lead off the innings.
A pair of solo home runs changed the complexion of the game, sending it into extra innings. The Skyhawks took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the 6th on a Gracyn McBride solo shot, but Hay tied it right back up in the seventh. Her team-leading 7th home run of the season knotted the score at 2-2 and sent the game into extra frames.
In the top of the 13th, the Aces looked to score the go ahead run, but interference was called and negated the run. An inning later, the Skyhawks grabbed the walk-off win on an RBI single from Aalia Bivens.
UE is on the road this weekend, traveling to Normal, Ill. for a 3-game set at Illinois State.
