MOREHEAD, Ky. – Normally, from year to year every Ohio Valley Conference softball series rotates sites so that each school hosts the other every second year. However, because of an ominous forecast in Morehead, Ky., in 2025, the Morehead State softball team moved its series with the University of Tennessee-Martin to Martin, Tenn. Consequently, MSU will make its third consecutive trip to Martin this weekend. And for the second straight year, weather forced a change in dates from Saturday-Sunday to Sunday Monday.
So, the Eagles and Skyhawks will play a doubleheader on Sunday at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. ET and then a single game on Monday at 1 p.m. ET at the Bettye Giles Softball Field. It is the final three contests of a six-game true road swing that matches MSU's longest of the spring.
With just three remaining series, every OVC game is critical as Morehead State (6-29/5-13) tries to earn a berth to the eight-team league postseason event. Fortunately, the Eagles are entering on a high note having won their last two series against Southern Indiana and Tennessee State, just the third time it has done so in the last 16 years.
"We're coming off of two strong series and looking forward to squaring off against Martin," said MSU head coach Megan Grifith. "We've worked this week on defending their short game and keeping their hitters off balance. We're looking for our hitters to bring their execution and stick to the plan at the plate."
MSU had its second set of mid-week contests this season on Wednesday, when the club faced off against archrival Eastern Kentucky in Richmond, Ky. The Eagles struggled in the opener before falling 6-0 but came back and outplayed the Colonels at the plate but were let down by their defense, succumbing 4-3. This season the Blue and Gold is 4-22 away from home and 3-11 in true road outings.
The Eagles remain an offensive force. They have recorded at least seven hits in 24 of their 35 games, including 14 times in the last 16 outings. However, as productive as they have been with the bats, MSU has been out-hit 27 times this spring. On the flip side, it has struck out two or fewer times in 19 contests. In addition, the team's pitchers have only hit four batters this season, which is tied for the lowest total in school history (1989 and 1994).
Individually, junior outfielder
Maddy Christopher and junior infielder
Sela Pickford have been consistent offensive contributors. The pair have reached base in 34 and 30 games, respectively, this season. In addition, Christopher has a hit in 29 games, while Pickford has one in 27.
In team statistics, Morehead State is batting .274, while averaging 4.34 runs per game, with 17 home runs, 13 stolen bases, a 6.56 ERA and a .943 fielding percentage. Its opponents are hitting .351, with 7.23 rpg, 18 home runs, 60 stolen bases, a 3.46 ERA and a .952 fielding percentage.
Christopher leads the team with a .396 batting average and is challenging for a top-10 all-time school mark. Her current average would be the team's best since Jennifer Moffitt hit .401 in 1997.
Additionally, Christopher adds 27 runs, 10 RBI, two stolen bases, a .410 slugging percentage and a .418 on-base percentage. Junior infielder
Noemye Letendre hits .373, with five home runs, 24 RBI, a .590 slugging percentage and a .422 on-base percentage. Junior catcher/third baseman
Sydney Farmer bats .302, with 24 runs, 12 doubles, three home runs, 18 RBI, four strikeouts, three stolen bases, a .519 slugging percentage and a .361 on-base percentage. Pickford adds a .290 batting average, 21 runs, seven doubles, two home runs, 20 RBI, three stolen bases, a .411 slugging percentage and a .328 on-base percentage.
Freshman
Allicen Harris leads the pitchers with a 4.97 ERA, but a 0-13 record, with 30 strikeouts and 16 walks in 69 innings. Junior
Ainsley Stubbs is 6-9, with a 5.32 ERA, 70 strikeouts and 54 walks in 100 innings. Senior pitcher
Rylie Burney has a 9.93 ERA, a 0-7 record, with 25 strikeouts and 46 walks in 55.2 innings.
UT Martin (26-17/13-4) is 14-3 at home this year and is on a four-game overall winning streak. The Skyhawks started the stretch by sweeping Western Illinois on its field last weekend, defeating the Leathernecks 2-0, 7-1 and 1-0 in eight innings. On Tuesday, it traveled to Austin Peay and beat the Lady Govs 3-2. Its last loss was on Tuesday, Apr. 7 at home to Murray State 4-3 in 10 innings. The Skyhawks are 7-3 in their last 10 games and have a three-game home win streak.
Both MSU and UTM have faced Indiana State, Tennessee State, SIU Edwardsville, Eastern Illinois and Western Illinois this spring. The Eagles went 3-10 against that group, while the Skyhawks were 10-3.
UT Martin is batting .286, with 4.84 rpg, 19 home runs, 77 stolen bases, a 3.87 ERA and a .963 fielding percentage. Its opponents average hitting .254, with 4.12 rpg, 29 home runs, 33 stolen bases, a 4.21 ERA and a .957 fielding percentage.
Four players are batting above .300. Junior outfielder Carly Ward leads the way at .398. She adds 27 runs, three doubles, 11 RBI, 12 walks, 11 stolen bases, a .455 slugging percentage and a .445 on-base percentage. Senior catcher Avary Makarewicz is hitting .367, with 29 runs, nine doubles, eight home runs, 39 RBI, 27 walks, six stolen bases, a .675 slugging percentage and a .477 on-base percentage. Redshirt junior outfielder Karena Recrosio adds a .336 average, with 30 runs, three doubles, 10 walks, 16 stolen bases, a .360 slugging percentage and a .403 on-base percentage. Senior infielder Kennedy Brown rounds out the group with a .325 batting average, 26 runs, four doubles, three triples, 15 RBI, 18 stolen bases, a .408 slugging percentage and a .377 on-base percentage.
Seven Skyhawks have pitched at least one inning, with four throwing at least 43. Junior Sami Scholtz is 6-4, with a 2.71 ERA, two saves, 55 strikeouts and 33 walks in 72 and one-third innings. Opponents are hitting .196 against her. Sophomore Natalie Kreuzinger is 5-4, with a 3.28 ERA, three saves, 47 strikeouts and 22 walks in 57 and two-third innings. Senior Ashtyn Green is 8-4, with a 3.76 ERA, 42 strikeouts and 21 walks in 80 innings. Junior Payton Harris is 4-3, with a 4.04 ERA, 19 strikeouts and 26 walks in 43 and one-third innings.
Coach Chelsea Farmer is in her third year leading the club. She is 72-69 during her tenure at the school.
The two teams first met in 1992 and have played in every year except 1993, 2015, 2017 and 2020. UTM leads the series 61-21, having won the last three outings. It also is 30-10 at home and 20-2-9 in in-season series versus the Blue and Gold. The Skyhawks have topped the Eagles in the last three home games.
Last year, UT Martin won 11-2 in five innings and 9-5 on April 7. The games were originally scheduled to be played at MSU but were moved due to impending weather. The first contest ended up being canceled anyway. In 2024, UTM won 10-0 in five innings, fell 1-0 and won 8-0 in six innings, all at home. In 2023, in Morehead, Ky., Morehead State won the opener 4-3 and fell in a doubleheader 7-2 and 4-2 in eight innings.
Since 2019, the Skyhawks lead the series 12-3. The two teams tied 1-1 in 2016 and 2018. The Eagles last won a series in 2001 (2-1). MSU won the 1998 series 2-1 but went 1-1 in Martin and won the other contest at a neutral site in the OVC Tournament. The Blue and Gold has never won a three-game series in Martin.
All three games will feature live stats. The link for game one can be found at
https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=644924. Game two's link is available at
https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=644925. Game three's link is available at
https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=644926.
ESPN+ will broadcast all three contests. Game one's link can be found at
https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/edd0b7d1-d2ce-400f-a874-f2a4ecb2b1ed?om-navmethod=espn%3Aglobalsearch%3Aresults. Game two's link can be found at
https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/dc7e1be1-4bfc-479f-b230-367c67d6541d?om-navmethod=espn%3Aglobalsearch%3Aresults. Game three's link can be found at
https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/27747375-1351-4b83-8a91-642b0267303c?om-navmethod=espn%3Aglobalsearch%3Aresults.
The Eagles will finish their six-game road swing with a single contest at Northern Kentucky on Wednesday. It is the makeup for a doubleheader originally scheduled on March 11. First pitch is at 4 p.m. MSU returns home for the final time to host Southeast Missouri on April 25-26. A doubleheader is slated for Saturday the 25th at noon and 2:30 p.m., with the finale on Sunday at noon. The Eagles will conclude the regular season on the road at Lindenwood on May 1-2.
