Vols Fall to #15 Arizona in Pitcher's Duel

Saturday, February 27

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

12:00 PM

University of Tennessee

9-4

No. 15/16 Arizona

10-4

Arizona

Tennessee

February 27, 2016 | Softball

Box Score

Feb. 27, 2016

Box Score

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- In a pitcher's duel between two ranked teams, Arizona ace Danielle O'Toole came out on top as the Wildcats earned a 1-0 win over the Vols on Saturday afternoon at the Easton Bama Bash.

The No. 14/19 Vols and No. 15/16 Wildcats (10-4) allowed only seven combined hits for the game while also combining to strike out 19 batters.

Rainey Gaffin was sensational in the circle, surrendering only one hit while recording a season-high 10 strikeouts in six innings of relief. Unfortunately for UT, O'Toole only gave up four hits en route to a complete-game shutout. It was O'Toole's second shutout of a top-15 opponent in as many weeks after stifling No. 4 LSU last Friday.

Mandie Perez scored the only run of the afternoon with a solo home run to lead off the game. The Vols came close to tying things up in the bottom half, but Shaliyah Geathers was robbed of a hit with runners on second and third after a great play by the Arizona's first baseman.

Tennessee (9-4) also stranded a pair of runners in the bottom of the fourth after Geathers singled and Gretchen Aucoin reached on a fielder's choice.

The Big Orange missed out on another chance to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth when Meghan Gregg was stranded at third to end the threat after reaching earlier in the inning with a 1-out double. Gregg was the only Tennessee player to have much success off O'Toole, going 2-for-3 with a double. Megan Geer and Geathers had the only other two hits for the Vols.

Erin Gabriel was stuck with the loss after giving up the leadoff homer in the first and fell to 6-2 on the year. The Vols will look to bounce back later today when they take on Marshall for the second time in as many days. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. ET.