MARTIN, Tenn.— With the University of Evansville softball team’s bats struggling in the first game, the hits became plenty in the second game. However, UT Martin (39-9) was able to stay one step ahead as they took two wins from the Aces (15-30) Tuesday night.

UT Martin 7, Evansville 2

After four scoreless innings, UE grabbed a 2-0 lead, but the Skyhawks’ bats proved costly as seven runs in the bottom sixth gave UT Martin the 7-2 win in game one.

Krista Price earned the Aces’ only hit with a single to left field in the fifth. After Price advanced to second on a throwing error by UT Martin’s catcher, a groundout put the senior in scoring position at third. An Ashleigh Rahming walk followed by Tamara Robey’s swing causing an error at second let the two runners before her take to home for a 2-0 lead.

The Aces continued to struggle with giving up big innings with the Skyhawks putting together six hits in the sixth. A double and two singles gave the home team their first run followed by a walk and grand slam from Laura Roberts. With the bases cleared, a double from Kalah Mathis allowed Kate Vanderham a two-run homer to end the scoring and the game at 7-2.

UT Martin’s Paij Lintz (20-3) went the entire seven innings with seven strikeouts and three walks. Kendall Kautz (11-12) took the loss after going 5.1 innings. The freshman gave up eight hits with two strikeouts and a walk.

UT Martin 8, Evansville 7 (8 innings)

The Aces didn’t let a 5-3 deficit in the fourth inning stop the team’s fight, as a comeback in the seventh pushed game two into an extra inning. However, the Skyhawks pulled out a hit in the bottom eighth to take the doubleheader sweep.

UT Martin opened the nightcap with a home run from Jenny Bain for the 1-0 lead. UE answered in the top second after Amy Gaertner singled to left field and got to third on two passed balls. An error from UT Martin’s pitcher allowed Gaertner to tie the score.

The Skyhawks didn’t let the tie last long, as solo shots over the fence from Vanderham in the second and Megan Williams in the third put the game at 3-1. The Aces evened the score in the fourth with Alicia Betancur opening the inning with a single to right followed by Maggie Little’s hit to right. Brianna Villanueva then put one in right field for two RBI.

Another Vanderham home run in the bottom fourth plus an additional run set the score at 5-3 going into the seventh. With Villanueva, Robey and Jen Stahlhut on base, Price blasted a grand slam to left field for UE’s first lead of the game at 7-5. However, another Skyhawk home run from Laurie Lindow tied the score in the bottom seventh before UT Martin put up the winning run in the eighth.

Little pitched the most innings of four Aces pitchers with six hits and four runs in three innings of work. Jen McKee and Elizabeth Grover gave up a combined five hits and three runs while Stahlhut (0-1) took the loss.

The Aces will get one more chance to play in front of a home crowd, as UE takes on Drake May 1-2 for a three-game series. UE will also honor its three seniors on Sunday for their finale at Cooper Stadium.