University of Tennessee Athletics
Saturday, March 23
Columbia, SC
6 PM
University of Tennessee
at
South Carolina
Softball Preview: #7 Tennessee Set for First SEC Road Trip at #23 South Carolina
March 22, 2024 | Softball
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The seventh-ranked Lady Vols continue their Carolina road trip with a Saturday-Monday three-game series against the 23rd-ranked Gamecocks.
Tennessee (23-4) began the road swing Thursday night at Western Carolina and extended its nation-leading win streak with a 6-0 victory over the Catamounts. The Lady Vols have won 15 in a row dating to March 2.
FOLLOW LIVE
Saturday's contest will be available to stream on SECN+ or through the WatchESPN app. Sunday and Monday's games will air on SEC Network with Mark Neely (play-by-play) and Madison Shipman (analyst) describing the action.
Fans can also listen to Charlie Collier call the series through a free online broadcast on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics app.
SEC PITCHER OF THE WEEK x2
For the second week in a row, Karlyn Pickens earned SEC Pitcher of the Week after tossing two shutouts in her two starts against No. 11 Missouri. The Weaverville, North Carolina, native allowed only two walks and five hits in 12 innings - striking out 16.
This award makes the sixth weekly honor of Pickens' career and the third of its kind.
SABERMETRICS CORNER
Kiki Milloy leads Tennessee and ranks third in the SEC and eighth nationally in several advanced statistics – including WRC+ (Weighted Runs Created Plus) at 258 and WOBA (Weighted On-base Average) with a .644 mark.
In the circle, Karlyn Pickens and Payton Gottshall rank among the best in the nation in SIERA (Skill-interactive Earned Run Average) which quantifies a pitcher's performance by trying to eliminate factors the pitcher can't control. The duo are fifth and ninth, respectively, at 1.67 and 2.0.
Pickens leads the league and is eighth nationally in FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching) at 0.93. Gottshall is third in the SEC with a mark of 1.09.
CHASING MORE HISTORY
Having already become Tennessee's home run queen, Milloy now has her sights set on breaking more records in her final season on Rocky Top. Below is a listing of the career marks she is chasing down.
- Stolen Bases
1. Raven Chavanne – 143
2. Kiki Milloy – 136
- Runs Scored
1. Aubrey Leach – 255
2. Kiki Milloy – 245
3. Raven Chavanne – 244
4. Lindsay Schutzler – 241
- Total Bases
1. Meghan Gregg - 517
2. Kiki Milloy – 498
3. Tonya Callahan - 492
4. Lindsay Schutzler – 479
SCOUTING SOUTH CAROLINA
Head Coach (Record at SC): Beverly Smith (447-306)
2023 Record: 22-7 (0-3 SEC)
Series Record: Tennessee leads 44-23
Last Meeting: W, 3-1 on 5/13/23 in the SEC Tournament Championship Game in Fayetteville, Arkansas
Key Stat: After ending last season with a 0-1 loss to Florida State during Regionals, the Gamecocks are 21-7 in the first 28 games of their 2024 campaign.
Infielder Riley Blampied returned for her Senior season and currently leads the team this year with 23 runs, 31 hits and 20 RBIs in her 93 plate appearances. The 2023 CSC Academic All-District Team honoree started all 62 games for the Gamecocks last season and led the team in RBIs, doubles, triples and slugging percentage.
An All-American transfer from Stanford, Fifth-year Alana Vawter, brings Women's College World Series experience to the Gamecocks pitching staff. The righty is 7-4 on the season and has claimed 48 strikeouts in her 66.1 innings pitched. Vawter holds a 1.58 ERA and has allowed 13 walks.
UP NEXT: The Lady Vols stay on the road next weekend as they swing through Auburn, Alabama, for a three-game set against the Tigers.
Tennessee (23-4) began the road swing Thursday night at Western Carolina and extended its nation-leading win streak with a 6-0 victory over the Catamounts. The Lady Vols have won 15 in a row dating to March 2.
FOLLOW LIVE
Saturday's contest will be available to stream on SECN+ or through the WatchESPN app. Sunday and Monday's games will air on SEC Network with Mark Neely (play-by-play) and Madison Shipman (analyst) describing the action.
Fans can also listen to Charlie Collier call the series through a free online broadcast on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics app.
SEC PITCHER OF THE WEEK x2
For the second week in a row, Karlyn Pickens earned SEC Pitcher of the Week after tossing two shutouts in her two starts against No. 11 Missouri. The Weaverville, North Carolina, native allowed only two walks and five hits in 12 innings - striking out 16.
This award makes the sixth weekly honor of Pickens' career and the third of its kind.
SABERMETRICS CORNER
Kiki Milloy leads Tennessee and ranks third in the SEC and eighth nationally in several advanced statistics – including WRC+ (Weighted Runs Created Plus) at 258 and WOBA (Weighted On-base Average) with a .644 mark.
In the circle, Karlyn Pickens and Payton Gottshall rank among the best in the nation in SIERA (Skill-interactive Earned Run Average) which quantifies a pitcher's performance by trying to eliminate factors the pitcher can't control. The duo are fifth and ninth, respectively, at 1.67 and 2.0.
Pickens leads the league and is eighth nationally in FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching) at 0.93. Gottshall is third in the SEC with a mark of 1.09.
CHASING MORE HISTORY
Having already become Tennessee's home run queen, Milloy now has her sights set on breaking more records in her final season on Rocky Top. Below is a listing of the career marks she is chasing down.
- Stolen Bases
1. Raven Chavanne – 143
2. Kiki Milloy – 136
- Runs Scored
1. Aubrey Leach – 255
2. Kiki Milloy – 245
3. Raven Chavanne – 244
4. Lindsay Schutzler – 241
- Total Bases
1. Meghan Gregg - 517
2. Kiki Milloy – 498
3. Tonya Callahan - 492
4. Lindsay Schutzler – 479
SCOUTING SOUTH CAROLINA
Head Coach (Record at SC): Beverly Smith (447-306)
2023 Record: 22-7 (0-3 SEC)
Series Record: Tennessee leads 44-23
Last Meeting: W, 3-1 on 5/13/23 in the SEC Tournament Championship Game in Fayetteville, Arkansas
Key Stat: After ending last season with a 0-1 loss to Florida State during Regionals, the Gamecocks are 21-7 in the first 28 games of their 2024 campaign.
Infielder Riley Blampied returned for her Senior season and currently leads the team this year with 23 runs, 31 hits and 20 RBIs in her 93 plate appearances. The 2023 CSC Academic All-District Team honoree started all 62 games for the Gamecocks last season and led the team in RBIs, doubles, triples and slugging percentage.
An All-American transfer from Stanford, Fifth-year Alana Vawter, brings Women's College World Series experience to the Gamecocks pitching staff. The righty is 7-4 on the season and has claimed 48 strikeouts in her 66.1 innings pitched. Vawter holds a 1.58 ERA and has allowed 13 walks.
UP NEXT: The Lady Vols stay on the road next weekend as they swing through Auburn, Alabama, for a three-game set against the Tigers.
Players Mentioned
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Saturday, May 24
SB | Tennessee Postgame vs. Nebraska (5.23.25)
Friday, May 23
SB | Tennessee Postgame vs. Ohio State (5.18.25)
Sunday, May 18
