Softball matches best start in school history
Josh Weiss
Issue date: 3/10/10 Section: Sports
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Shortstop Jenny Bain again came up big for UTM over the weekend, hitting .400 with six RBI and five runs scored on her way to being named OVC Player of the Week for the second time in this young season.
Bain's two long balls over the weekend also moved the sophomore into fifth on the Skyhawks' all-time home run list with 19 in
her short career.
Pitcher Paij Lintz also had a big weekend for UTM, posting a 2-0 record with wins over Bowling Green State and SEC opponent Ole Miss, a game in which she went the full seven innings plus two more as the Skyhawks
downed the Rebels in the ninth.
On Friday, March 5, UTM took on the Falcons of BGSU.
The Skyhawks took the early lead in the first inning and never looked back, defeating the Falcons 7-3.
Lintz picked up the win for UTM, throwing a complete seven innings while allowing just three runs on seven hits and striking out
nine.
On the offensive side, Bain went 3-4 from the plate with three runs, three RBI and her 18th career homer.
However, the good fortune would not last as the Skyhawks fell to the Owls of Kennesaw State in Friday's nightcap matchup.
The Owls came out quickly, scoring four runs before UTM recorded the game's first out to build a lead the Skyhawks could not overcome as it fell 5-3.
Kate Vanderham took the loss for the Skyhawks as her record fell to 3-1.
Megan Williams and Megan Van Arsdale both went 2-3 at the plate, and Bain picked up a hit to extend her hitting streak to a season-high six games.
The Skyhawks looked to bounce back Saturday morning against the Eagles of Winthrop.
UTM jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, but a pair of fifth-inning homers by the Eagles were enough to again knock off UTM 5-3.
Williams went 3-4 on the day, while Bain picked up a pair of hits.
In Saturday night's action, the Skyhawks looked to avoid a third straight loss as it faced SEC opponent Ole Miss.
The game was tight throughout, and the two teams were having so much fun that they decided to play nine instead of the usual seven innings.
In the end, though, UTM found a way to win, knocking off the Rebels 7-6.
Lintz again pitched a complete game, this time going nine innings.
The senior gave up just two walks and only one earned run against the 41 total batters that she faced and was later named to the Buzz Classic All-Tournament Team.
UTM's offense came mainly in the form of home runs as the Skyhawks blasted four solo shots.
However, no offensive play was as critical as Bain's stealing of home in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game at 6-6 and force a ninth inning.
Riding this momentum, UTM faced Western Kentucky in the weekend's final matchup, knocking off the Hilltoppers 5-3.
It wasn't pretty, but the Skyhawks got the job done, as it took only six hits for UTM to score its five runs.
Chelsea Cary was the only Skyhawk to record multiple hits, going 2-4 on the day.
The win improves the Skyhawks' record to 12-3 on the year.
UTM will look to continue its dominance next week, March 14-16, in Kissimmee, Fla., where the Skyhawks will play six games at the Rebel Spring Games.
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