Martin, Tenn. --- A short-handed Tiger softball squad suffered two losses at the hand of UT Martin in a doubleheader Sunday afternoon at Bettye Giles field.

Tennessee State dropped to 11-31 overall (6-13 OVC) while UT Martin improved to 37-9 (16-3 OVC).

The Tigers, who were without key players due to injury and illness,  only combined for four hits in both contests while the Skyhawks registered 23 in the doubleheader.  

Game One

The Tiger offense struggled in game one and only managed one hit in the contest. Hannah Schnebly (6-8) was charged with the loss while Paij Lintz (18-3) earned the win for UTM. Lintz threw nine strikeouts and only yielded three walks in the shut-out.

Brooke Blackford recorded TSU's only hit of the game while UTM tallied 10 hits in the contest.

The Skyhawks took a, 1-0, lead in the bottom of the first and threatened to add to its lead after getting runners on second and third with only one out in the next inning. Hannah Schnebly, however, struck out a batter and forced a pop-up to get out of the inning unscathed.

UTM increased its advantage to, 2-0, in the bottom of the third when Jenny Bain knocked one over the left field fence. Moments later, TSU turned a double-play to end the inning without any more runs scoring.

In the bottom of the fourth, a walk, stolen base and a single gave UTM a 3-0 lead before another homerun made the score, 5-0, in favor of the Skyhawks. At this point Susie Burke came in to relieve Schnebly.

The Tigers picked-off the third base runner and Burke got the next batter to pop up to end the inning.

The Skyhawks recorded their third homer of the game, in the fifth, to push the lead to 6-0. UTM crossed the plate once more to increase the lead to 7-0 before the inning ended.

The Tiger offense continued to struggle and was not able to forge a comeback.

Game Two

Untimely errors by TSU along with a huge fifth inning by UTM led to the Skyhawks capturing a, 9-0, win over the Tigers in game two.

The game was scoreless through the first three and a half frames. In the bottom of the third, UTM posted the first runs of the game, capturing a 2-0 lead behind a four-hit inning.

Jalisa Bradley christened the fifth inning with a single through the right side but was left stranded on first.

The Skyhawks opened up the lead in the fifth behind a seven-run inning. Bain crossed the plate to make the score, 3-0, before a throwing error with two outs allowed a couple more runs to score.

Still in the fifth inning with two outs and the Skyhawks leading, 5-0, a pair of two-run homeruns swelled the lead to 9-0 and ended the game on the mercy rule.  

Natalie Papini (0-5) was tagged with the loss while Kate Vanderham (13-2) earned the win.

TSU had three hits and three errors in the game while UTM registered 13 hits and didn't commit any errors.

The Tigers will return to action this weekend when they host the Panthers of Eastern Illinois in the final home series of the season. Saturday's doubleheader is slated for a 12 p.m. start while Sunday will be recognized as senior day, and begins at noon.