University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
21-5
%20(1).png&width=60&height=60&type=webp)
North Florida
11-16
Vols Down UNF for 11th Straight Win
March 16, 2016 | Softball
Box Score | Ralph Weekly Postgame | Geer Postgame |
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The 16th ranked Volunteers extended their winning streak to 11 games on Wednesday night with a 9-4 win over North Florida at the UNF Softball Complex in Jacksonville.
Tennessee (21-5) rallied in the top of the seventh to earn its first road win of the season after entering the final inning trailing by a run. The Vols delivered when it mattered most with six runs on six hits and a pair of UNF errors.
UT scored the tying and go-ahead run after Brooke Vines singled and the ball was misplayed by the UNF left fielder, allowing both Rainey Gaffin and Vines to score on the play. Gaffin also earned her third win of the year in the circle after pitching 2.2 innings in relief.
The Ospreys (11-16) opened the scoring, taking a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first after an error allowed two runners to score. The first two batters of the inning reached after a hit by pitch and a walk and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt before eventually coming around to score on an error at second base.
UT cut the lead in half in the top of the fourth with an RBI fielder's choice by Meghan Gregg. Megan Geer scored from third on the play after leading the inning off with a single to extend her on-base streak to 25 straight games.
Another defensive miscue allowed North Florida to regain its two-run advantage in the bottom of the fourth. Casey Estes scored from second after a dropped ball at first base, giving the Ospreys a 3-1 lead after four innings of play.
Tennessee responded with two runs to tie the game in the top of the fifth thanks to a sacrifice fly by Vines and a RBI double from Geer to make it 3-3.
The Ospreys scratched across a run in the bottom of the sixth to retake the lead, 4-3. Lexi Taylor hit a high chopper over Scarlet McSwain's head at third base and into left field to allow Minnie Cocuzza to score with two outs.
Trailing by a run with only three outs to work with, the Vols came up big with six runs in the top of the seventh to go up 9-4 and put the game away. Gaffin led off the inning with a double to left center before scoring the tying run on Vines' single and ensuing error by North Florida's left fielder. Lexi Overstreet and Gretchen Aucoin went on to bust the game open with back-to-back homers later in the inning to cap off the scoring.
Geer and McSwain led the Big Orange at the plate with three hits apiece while Cocuzza was the Ospreys' top performer with a pair of hits and a run.
Tennessee continues its Florida swing with a showdown against top-ranked UF Friday through Sunday. All three games against the Gators will be carried live on WNML AM 990 and will also be televised, with Friday's series opener being broadcast on ESPNU and the final two games set to air on the SEC Network. Click HERE for the full season schedule.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Gaffin, Rainey (3-1)
L: SNIPE, Janet (3-5)
Batting:
2B: Geer, Megan 1 ; Geathers, Shaliyah 1 ; McSwain, Scarlet 1 ; Gaffin, Rainey 1
HR: Overstreet, Lexi 1 ; Aucoin, Gretchen 1
RBI: Geer, Megan 1 ; Gregg, Meghan 1 ; Overstreet, Lexi 2 ; Aucoin, Gretchen 1 ; Vines, Brooke 1
SH: Leach, Aubrey 1
SF: Vines, Brooke 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Geer, Megan 2 ; McClain, CJ 1 ; Overstreet, Lexi 1 ; Aucoin, Gretchen 1 ; Geathers, Shaliyah 1 ; McSwain, Scarlet 1 ; Gaffin, Rainey 1 ; Vines, Brooke 1
SB: Geer, Megan 2 ; Gregg, Meghan 1 ; Overstreet, Lexi 1 ; McSwain, Scarlet 1
CS: Gregg, Meghan 1
HBP: Geathers, Shaliyah 1
%20(1).png&width=32&height=32&type=webp)
Batting:
2B: MCCLELLAND, Stacy 1
RBI: MCCLELLAND, Stacy 1 ; TAYLOR, Lexi 1
SH: DUNCAN, Shelby 1 ; VALLE, Jen 1
Base Running:
RUNS: PENROD, Navia 1 ; MANDIGO, Katie 1 ; COCUZZA, Minnie 1 ; ESTES, Casey 1
SB: PENROD, Navia 1
HBP: PENROD, Navia 1
