Vols Take Series Opener at No. 15 Missouri

Friday, April 1

Columbia, Mo.

7:30 PM

University of Tennessee

27-8, 0

No. 15/15 Missouri

24-7, 0

Tennessee

Mizzou

April 01, 2016 | Softball

Box Score

April 1, 2016

Box Score | Highlights | Postgame Interviews |

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Meghan Gregg drove in three runs and Rainey Gaffin struck out eight batters in a complete-game effort as the Volunteers opened their series at No. 15/15 Missouri with a 7-3 victory on Friday night at University Field.

The win was Tennessee's sixth in a row and fourth straight over a ranked opponent, helping the 16th ranked Vols improve to 29-6 overall and 7-3 in Southeastern Conference play. UT continued its recent trend of offensive production with two outs, scoring five of its seven runs on the night with two away. In the past three games, the Big Orange have scored 19 of their 23 runs with two outs.

The Vols struck early and often, loading the bases in each of the first three innings while racing out to a 5-0 lead. UT chased Tigers' starting pitcher Paige Lowary after just two innings, drawing six walks and tagging her for five runs on the night.

Tennessee loaded the bases with three straight walks to open the game and took an early 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly by Lexi Overstreet, giving her an RBI for the sixth straight game. Unfortunately, that was the lone run UT would score in the first inning after leaving runners stranded on second and third.

The Big Orange put together a nice two-out rally to plate three more runs in the second inning. Aubrey Leach extended her hit streak to five games with a single to center field before Megan Geer followed with another single and Brooke Vines loaded the bases with a walk. Leach came in to score on a wild pitch and Gregg drove in her first two runs of the game with a single through the right side to make it 4-0.

UT loaded the bases for the third consecutive inning in the top of the third and tacked on another run thanks to an RBI groundout by Leach to increase the lead to 5-0. The Tigers (24-7, 3-4 SEC) responded with two runs in the home half of the third to cut the Tennessee lead to three. Emily Crane doubled and came around the score on a Vols' throwing error before Chloe Rathburn singled in another run to make it 5-2 after three innings.

The Volunteers regained their five-run lead with another pair of runs in the sixth inning. Leach and Geer got on with back-to-back one-out singles before Gregg drove in her third run of the game with an RBI double to the corner in left field. Geer came in to score later in the inning on a passed ball to give UT a 7-2 advantage.

Rathburn continued her solid night at the plate with a leadoff double in the bottom of the sixth and came around to score on an RBI ground out by Kristen Mack to cut the deficit to four heading into the seventh inning.

Gaffin was able to shut down the Tigers with a 1-2-3 inning in the seventh to earn her sixth win and finish off her third complete game of the year. All three of Gaffin's starts in SEC play this season have resulted in complete games. The senior from Thornton, Colo., also went 2-for-4 at the plate on the night with a pair of infield singles.

The Vols will look to win their third SEC series of the year as they take on the Tigers in Game 2 tomorrow at noon ET on ESPNU. Fans can also listen to the game live on WNML AM 990 as Brian Rice has the call.