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MARTIN, Tenn. – Eastern Illinois connected for home runs on two of its three hits on Saturday afternoon but the Panthers could not generate enough offense during a 5-2 loss at UT Martin in the final game of the OVC weekend series.
 
Macey McElravy homered to left center in the second inning for EIU's first blast with Rachel Kaufman adding a solo shot in the seventh.  Hannah Cravens would pick up the Panthers other hit in the game with her 16th double of the season in the sixth.
 
UT Martin provided its pitching staff all the offense they would need scoring two runs in the first on a Kaci Fuller home run to left and an RBI double by Shyanne Sheffield.
 
Erin Gallagher picked up the win allowing one hit and one earned run to improve to 9-2.  Alexis Groet closed out the seventh to pick up her first save.  Rachel Kaufman suffered the loss for EIU falling to 3-8.
 
The Skyhawks added to their lead with three runs in the third.  Sheffield started the scoring in the third with an RBI single through the left side.  Kallie Pickens added a two-run single to left center to cap the UT Martin scoring for the day.
 
Fuller and Sheffield each finished with two hits to lead UT Martin.
 
For the second straight day freshman Kaitlyn Reifsteck came and pitched well in relief throwing 3.2 innings of scoreless relief to end the game for EIU.
 
EIU is now 21-23 overall, 6-11 in the OVC.  UTM is now 25-12 overall, 10-4 in the OVC.