PHOTO GALLERY
THURSDAY'S SCORES
#7 Tennessee Tech 5, #6 UT Martin 3
#2 SIUE 4, #3 Eastern Illinois 2
#4 Murray State 5, #1 Jacksonville State 4
#5 Eastern Kentucky 6, Morehead State 0
TENNESSEE TECH 5, UT MARTIN 3
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - Seventh-seeded Tennessee Tech defeated No. 6 UT Martin, 5-3, in the OVC Softball Championship. The Golden Eagles will play the loser of the Murray State/Jacksonville State game while the Skyhawks conclude the season with a 27-27-1 overall mark.
Cortny Fry went 3-for-3 with a home run to lead the Golden Eagles. Angi Sakamoto recorded a pair of hits, including her seventh home run of the season. Alyssa Richards and Hannah Eldridge also had two hits in the game.
For the Skyhawks, Carly Gonzales and Deen Wilson each had a pair of hits.
Danielle Liberartore picked her 14th win in the circle, striking out seven over 7.0 innings of work.
Elizabeth Wiegand was tagged with the loss as she struck out four and allowed five runs in 6.0 innings of action.
SIUE 4, EASTERN ILLINOIS 2
JACKSONVILL, Ala. - Second-seeded SIUE defeated third-seeded Eastern Illinois, 4-2. The Cougars will play the winner of the Murray State/Jacksonville State game while the Panthers will play the winner of the Eastern Kentucky/Morehead State game.
SIUE's Haley Chambers went 3-for-3 at the plate with an RBI while also picking up the win in the circle. She struck out 13 batters in 7.0 innings of work. Kayla Riggs and Alex McDavid each hit a home run for the Cougars. Allison Smiley went 2-for-3 with a run scored.
Bailey O'Dell led the Panthers, going 3-for-3 with a home run. Hannah Cole also hit a home run for EIU. Stephanie Maday suffered the loss.
MURRAY STATE 5, JACKSONVILLE STATE 4
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - Fourth-seeded Murray State upset No. 1 Jacksonville State, 5-4, in the OVC Softball Championship. The Racers will face No. 2 SIUE tomorrow at 3 p.m. CT while the Gamecocks play No. 7 Tennessee Tech at 10 a.m.
With the Racers down 4-2, Casey Castile hit a two-run shot in the bottom of the 6th to tie the game at 4-4. Murray State would win if walk off fashion as Leslie Bridges drove in the winning run.
Jessica Twaddle went 2-for-2 with a pair of RBI to lead the Racers while Mo Ramesy Alexa Becker also recorded two hits.
Jacksonville State's Ella Denese went 4-for-4 with three RBI. She hit her eighth home run of the season and also had three doubles in the game. Amanda Maldonado also recorded a pair of hits.
CheyAnne Gaskey earned the win as she came on in relief as she struck out two batters in 5.0 innings of work.
Tiffany Harbin took the loss, giving up her first earned runs in 58 innings.
EASTERN KENTUCKY 6, MOREHEAD STATE 0
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - Eastern Kentucky defeated Morehead State, 6-0, in the OVC Softball Championship. The Colonels will face No. 3 Eastern Illinois at 12:30 p.m. CT. The Eagles finish the season with a 15-36-1 overall mark.
Katie Tackette went 3-for-3 with a home run and two RBI to lead the Colonals. Christina Ciolek also hit a two-run shot for her five home run of the season.
Stephanie Etter, Jamie Massaro and Terssa Watson each had a hit for Morehead State.
Leanna Pittsenbarger picked up the complete-game shutout as she struck out nine in the win.
Tanna Seuferer was suffered the loss for the Eagles.