April 21, 2007
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The matchup between the top two strikeout pitchers in the Southeastern Conference was just what the 1,483 in attendance at Tyson Park Saturday was expecting. Tennessee's Monica Abbott and Auburn's Anna Thompson combined for 29 strikeouts in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader, but it was the top-ranked Lady Vols who took the 2-1 decision in eight innings.
Shannon Doepking's sacrifice fly with the bases loaded and no outs in the bottom of the eighth proved to be the game-winner.
"Obviously, it's disappointing to lose such a close game," Auburn head coach Tina Deese said. "But I'm proud of the way this team hung in there until the end against the No. 1 club in the country. We will take that and focus on getting the final game of the series Sunday."
The 2-1 loss to the Lady Vols followed a 10-0 Tennessee win in five innings in game one.
Abbott, the conference's leader in strikeouts, posted 19 in the second game victory. She limited Auburn to four hits to improve to 37-1 this season.
Thompson, second in the conference in strikeouts, finished with 10 and also allowed just four hits. She, however, took the loss and is 11-14 this season.
Holly Currie started the game's scoring with a home run in the top half of the fourth, a solo shot over the right field fence. It was Currie's ninth of the season and the 11th an opponent has hit against Tennessee's Monica Abbott this season.
Tennessee (49-2 overall, 19-2 SEC) tied up the score in the bottom half of the fourth on a double to left by Doepking.
The Tigers (22-29, 7-17 SEC) loaded the bases for the second time in the doubleheader in the sixth inning, but again, could not push a run across the plate. Ashley Arcuri led off the inning with her fifth hit of the day, and moved to second when Lauren Walton was successful on a sacrifice bunt. Holly Currie was intentionally walked, putting runners at first and second, before Sara Ghezzi struck out swinging for the second out of the inning.
Abbott proceeded to hit Myesha Finney with a pitch, loading the bases, but got out of the inning by getting Whitney Wyatt on three strikes.
Arcuri went 2 for 3 in the second game to extend her hit streak to a season-high nine games.
In game one, Arcuri doubled twice and singled once for all three of Auburn's hits in a 10-0, five-inning loss.
Tennessee opened the game with a run-scoring single by Tonya Callahan in the first. The Lady Vols then jumped out to a 9-0 lead in the second, capitalizing on six straight singles while sending 13 batters to the plate. Tennessee finished with eight runs on eight hits during the inning, while the Tigers committed two errors, though both would have not produced outs and only helped advance baserunners.
Auburn threatened early in the game, loading the bases in the first. Arcuri led off the game with a double down the right field line. She then moved to third with two out on a wild pitch to Sara Ghezzi, who later walked intentionally. Whitney Wyatt loaded the bases when she was hit by a pitch by Monica Abbott, but was stranded at first when the Tennessee starter struck out her 500th batter of the season.
Arcuri singled in the third and doubled again in the fifth to finish with all three of the Tigers' hits. The three hits marked her eighth multiple-hit effort of the season as she extended her career-best hit streak to eight games.
Brittany Day was touched for eight hits and seven runs in an inning to drop to 2-4 this season.
Megan Rhodes picked up the win for Tennessee and improved to 12-1 this season. She came on in relief of Abbott in the third and scattered two hits while striking out eight.
The teams conclude the three-game series Sunday at 1 p.m. CT. The game will be televised live regionally on Fox Sports Net. The game will also be carried live on WZMG-AM (910) and www.auburntigers.com.
Tiger Notes: Ashley Arcuri's first inning hit in game one was one was the Tigers' first since 2005 against Monica Abbott ... In that game, the Tigers tied a then-team record with four home runs in a 6-1 victory over Tennessee, which was then ranked fourth in the nation ... Arcuri's three hits in game one tied a career-high, previously set March 10 of this season at Kentucky ... Her nine-game hit streak is tied for the longest this season with Sara Ghezzi.