MARTIN, Tenn. – UT Martin edged SIUE softball Saturday in a pair of contests at Bettye Giles Softball Field.

Both teams now have a 14-11 record in OVC play after a 3-1 and 3-2 win for UT Martin over the Cougars. The two teams will be battling Sunday for the No. 4 seed in next week's Ohio Valley Conference Tournament in Oxford, Alabama. Sunday's final game of the series is set for 1 p.m.

SIUE Head Coach Sandy Montgomery said her team needs to focus on Sunday's matchup.

"If they can't get themselves in the right mindset tomorrow, the conference tournament is an irrelevant factor," she said. "They have to get themselves ready to play, and they have to be committed to winning. We have it in us. We just have to find a way to get it out."

In game one, SIUE was first team to score in the fifth inning. After Haley Adrian singled, Janie Smith was inserted into the lineup as a pinch runner. She advanced to second on an infield out and then scored on a RBI double by Alyssa Heren.

That's all SIUE could score for starter Ashley Koziol, who struck out three and gave up seven hits. She held UT Martin scoreless for four innings before the Skyhawks talled two runs on a pinch-hit double by Gracyn McBride.

"We can't seem to get over the hump right now and it's more mental than anything. When they decide they are going to put a full game together, we'll win," said Montgomery.

In game two, Jodie Duncan drove home two runs with a double in the first inning as the Skyhawks held off the Cougars.

SIUE, 22-24 overall, picked up a second-inning RBI from Adrian and a sixth inning RBI single by Rachel Keller. Baylee Douglass took the loss and is now 14-11 despite yielding just five hits.

Montgomery also noted the play of Amy Hunt, who started game one at shortstop and then was featured behind the plate in the nightcap. Hunt had two hits in game two, leading off the fifth and seventh innings.

"We're definitely a comeback team," said Hunt, "It didn't happen this game, but I'm still positive that tomorrow we'll come out bats blazing and get the job done."

It was Hunt's first start behind the plate this season.

"Coach does a good job of keeping me in the catcher's loop, working with pitchers every day. That helps the flip-the-switch mentality," Hunt added.