Gregg's Three-Run Blast Leads UT Past DePaul

Saturday, February 18

Las Cruces, N.M.

4:00 PM

University of Tennessee

6-0

DePaul

3-6

DePaul

Tennessee

February 18, 2017 | Softball

Box Score

Feb. 18, 2017

Box Score

LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- No. 15/14 Tennessee outlasted DePaul for a hard-fought 8-6 victory to open the Troy Cox Classic on Saturday afternoon at the New Mexico State Softball Complex.

Meghan Gregg's three-run homer in the bottom of the fourth broke a 5-5 tie and proved to be the difference as the Volunteers improved to 6-0 on the season. Gregg finished the day with two hits and two runs to go along with her three RBIs.

Junior college transfer Alex Brake gave up just one run in 2.2 innings of relief to earn her first win at the Division I level. Freshman Caylan Arnold pitched a scoreless seventh inning to shut the door and earn her first-career save. The Maryville native has yet to surrender an earned run this year.

DePaul (3-6) opened the scoring with a solo home run by Megan Leyva in the top of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead, but the Vols quickly responded with four runs in the bottom half of the inning.

Megan Geer drew a bases-loaded walk to tie the game at one before Abby Lockman ripped a double down the left-field line to clear the bases and make it 4-1. UT added another run with some heads up baserunning in the second inning. With runners on the corners, Brooke Vines stole second and Jenna Holcomb raced home on the throw to make it 5-1.

The Blue Demons battled back, however, using the long ball to get back in the game. Back-to-back home runs in the third inning by Dylan Christensen and Leyva cut the deficit to one and chased UT starter Matty Moss. DePaul tied the game in the fourth with an RBI double from Haydn Christensen before Tennessee regained the lead in the bottom half of the inning on Gregg's three-run blast to center field.

DePaul cut the UT lead to 8-6 on a bases loaded walk in the top of the sixth, but that was as close as the Blue Demons would get the rest of the way. Arnold worked around a two-out walk to close the game out in the seventh.

SCORING IN BUNCHES: Tennessee has scored seven or more runs in five of their six games this year, giving the young pitching staff plenty of run support early in the season.

GREGG CONTINUES HOT HITTING: UT junior shortstop Meghan Gregg continued her hot start to the season with another big performance at the plate. The Georgia native went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs and three RBIs to pump her season total to 15 after just six games. Gregg also hammered her second homer of the year.

GLOVE WORK: The Vols' defense has been very good to start the year after finishing towards the bottom of the SEC in fielding percentage last season. The Big Orange did not commit any errors in their win over DePaul and have made zero errors in four of their six games this season. Outfielders CJ McClain and Jenna Holcomb both made diving catches in the victory over the Blue Demons.

UP NEXT: Tennessee completes its first day of competition at the Troy Cox Classic against Bradley later this evening. Tentative start time is 9 p.m. ET. Fans can follow live stats for the game HERE.