University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
2-0
BYU
1-1
Freshmen Spark Offense in 15-3 Win over BYU
February 11, 2016 | Softball
Box Score | Karen Weekly Postgame | Vines & Leach Postgame |
TEMPE, Ariz. -- A balanced offensive attack led No. 8/9 Tennessee to a 15-3 victory over BYU in Game 2 of Thursday's season-opening doubleheader at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz.
Seven different players recorded RBIs for the Vols with freshman Aubrey Leach leading the way with four.
The Vols jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first thanks to RBIs from Shaliyah Geathers and Gretchen Aucoin. Brooke Vines got the inning started with a leadoff single to center field and came around to score on a groundout by Geathers that ended up being ruled catcher's interference. Meghan Gregg, who reached on a single earlier in the inning, also came around to score on a bases-loaded walk by Aucoin to give UT its early 2-run advantage.
Gaffin extended the Tennessee lead to four with a 2-run double to right center in the top of the third inning, plating Aucoin and Lexi Overstreet.
BYU got three runs back in the bottom half of the third, however, as Libby Sugg launched a 3-run homer over the center-field fence to cut the Vols' lead to 4-3.
Tennessee answered right back with a run in the top of the fourth on an RBI groundout by Gregg and never looked back. The Vols added three more runs in the fifth on a solo home run by Aucoin and a 2-run single by Leach, who had a sensational evening.
The freshman from The Woodlands, Texas went 3-for-5 with a run and four RBIs on the night to lead the Vols offensive onslaught. She also went 2-for-3 with an RBI in UT's Game 1 win over Creighton.
Teaming up with Leach to provide a deadly one-two punch was Vines, who went 4-for-5 with three runs and two RBIs of her own for the game. In two games today, Vines and Leach combined for 12 hits, eight runs and eight RBIs.
Another freshman, Corona, Calif., native Abby Lockman, joined in on the hit parade with a monster 3-run homer to left-center field to increase the UT lead to 13-3 in what turned out to be a 7-run seventh inning. In all, freshmen accounted for eight hits, eight runs and nine RBIs in the victory.
On top of driving in two runs at the plate, senior Rainey Gaffin earned the win in the circle, throwing 4.1 shutout innings in relief while piling up eight strikeouts.
Tennessee continues tournament play with another doubleheader tomorrow night, taking on Fresno State at 7 p.m. ET and No. 22/20 Arizona State immediately after. Fans can listen to all of this week's games on UTSports.com.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Gaffin, Rainey (1-0)
L: BULL (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Vines, Brooke 1 ; Leach, Aubrey 1 ; McSwain, Scarlet 1 ; Gaffin, Rainey 1
HR: Lockman, Abby 1 ; Aucoin, Gretchen 1
RBI: Vines, Brooke 2 ; Leach, Aubrey 4 ; Gregg, Meghan 1 ; Geathers, Shaliyah 1 ; Lockman, Abby 3 ; Aucoin, Gretchen 2 ; Gaffin, Rainey 2
SH: Vines, Brooke 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Vines, Brooke 3 ; Leach, Aubrey 2 ; Gregg, Meghan 1 ; Lilley, Logyn 1 ; Lockman, Abby 1 ; Overstreet, Lexi 1 ; Aucoin, Gretchen 2 ; Huffstetler, Savannah 1 ; McSwain, Scarlet 1 ; Gallo, Kassidy 1 ; Gaffin, Rainey 1
SB: Vines, Brooke 1 ; Geer, Megan 1
HBP: Gallo, Kassidy 1
Batting:
2B: THOMPSON 1
HR: SUGG 1
RBI: SUGG 3
SH: BRAVO 1
Base Running:
RUNS: BELL 1 ; SUGG 1 ; TARROW 1
