April 10, 2009
Knoxville, Tenn. - The 12th-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols scored three runs in the first inning and cruised to a 5-2 victory over the Auburn softball team Friday night in the first game of a three-game series.
The Tigers dropped to 27-14 overall and 7-8 in the Southeastern Conference. The Lady Vols improved to 31-9-1 overall and 8-6-1 in the SEC. The Tigers and Lady Vols conclude the series with a double-header beginning at noon CT.
Jenee Loree took the loss for Auburn to fall to 11-6. Loree allowed five runs, four earned, on six hits in 2.1 innings of work. Loree walked four and fanned two.
Holly Ragsdale relieved Loree in the third inning and threw the final 3.2 innings allowing just two hits and striking out one.
Cat Hosfield earned the win and improved to 22-8. Hosfield gave up two runs, one earned, on six hits with three walks and seven strikeouts.
The Lady Vols took the early lead in the bottom of the first inning. Kelly Grieve reached on a bunt single and then stole second and third base. Loree then uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Grieve to score for a 1-0 UT lead.
Following the wild pitch, Loree walked Tiffany Huff and Jessica Spigner and then gave up a two-out triple to Jen Lapicki to score both runners and give the Lady Vols a 3-0 lead.
Spigner extended the Tennessee lead to 4-0 with an RBI single in the second inning. Lillian Hammond reached on a fielder's choice and moved to second when Huff walked. With two outs, Spigner laced a single to left that scored Hammond.
The Tigers were unable to chip away at the UT lead as Auburn left six runners stranded on base through the first three innings of play. Auburn left the bases loaded in the top of the first and put two runners on with one out in the third, but were unable to push a run across.
The Lady Vols capitalized off an Auburn error to take a 5-0 lead in the bottom of third inning. Nicole Kajitani singled and then stole second. Shortstop Lauren Guzman booted the throw to second on the steal and the ball rolled into right field, allowing Kajitani to advance to third. Shelby Burchell then hit a ground ball to Amber Harrison at first, who threw home but was unable to get the out as Kajitani scored.
The Tigers got on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth. With one out, Taryn Gray and Lauren Guzman had consecutive singles and pinch-hitter Morgan Murphy reached on a fielding error to load the bases. After Kyndall White popped out, Lindsey Harrelson walked on four pitches to force Gray home and cut the deficit to 5-1.
The Lady Vols worked out of the jam, however, as Tatiana Fernandez was thrown out by the catcher at first on a chopper that rolled in front of the plate for the third out of the inning.
Auburn did score a run in the top of the seventh inning when Amber Harrison hit a one-out, solo home run over the wall in right field. It was Harrison's third home run of the season and made it a 5-2 game. The Tigers, however, were unable to mount a rally as Hosfield retired the next two hitters to end the game.