University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
11-1
#20 California
11-0
#10 Softball Falls To #20 Cal, 1-0
February 20, 2015 | Softball
Feb. 20, 2015
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. -- Playing its third-straight game against a ranked opponent, No. 10 Tennessee suffered its first loss of the 2015 season on Friday, falling to No. 20 California, 1-0, in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic at Big League Dreams Park.
Tennessee (11-1) gave up the lone run in the first inning when Cal's Cheyenne Cordes hit a two-out RBI single to center field to plate Jazmyn Jackson. Cal (11-0) limited the potent UT offense to just five hits and two walks.
Gretchen Aucoin (5-1) took the loss after striking out three and allowing one run over six frames. Rainey Gaffin pitched a scoreless seventh.
Tory Lewis went 2-for-3 in the loss and came up with a big two-out single in the bottom of the seventh to give the Lady Vols a chance late. Gaffin battled Cal starter Katie Sutherland-Finch to a full count but grounded out to second.
Sutherland-Finch (4-0) earned the complete-game shutout and struck out nine UT batters.
Both teams had multiple opportunities to add runs to the scoreboard as Tennessee left seven on base and Cal stranded eight.
Tennessee's best chance to score was in the third inning when Lewis and Gaffin combined for back-to-back infield singles to open the inning. Sutherland-Finch got a fielder's choice, strikeout and ground out to end the UT scoring threat.
UT concludes its stay in California on Saturday when the Lady Vols take on Utah at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET and Nebraska at 12:30 p.m. PT/3:30 p.m. ET.
Tennessee's 2015 home opener is Tuesday, Feb. 24, against Georgia Tech at 4 p.m. ET.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Sutherland-Finch,K (4-0)
L: Aucoin, Gretchen (5-1)
Batting:
2B: Jackson,Jazmyn 1 ; Laxamana,Alleah 1
RBI: Cordes,Cheyenne 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jackson,Jazmyn 1
HBP: Cordes,Cheyenne 1
