April 14, 2013
Knoxville, Tenn. - The Auburn softball team was unable to prevent a three-game sweep at the hands of No. 5 Tennessee as the Lady Vols claimed a 6-0 win over the Tigers Sunday afternoon.
Auburn's record dropped to 27-18 overall and 6-12 in the Southeastern Conference. The Lady Vols improved to 38-6 overall and 12-3 in the SEC. The Tigers return to action April 19-21 with a three game series at home against the South Carolina Gamecocks.
"We didn't have a good day today," Auburn head coach Tina Deese said. "Tennessee jumped out to the early lead in the first inning and didn't look back. Offensively, we didn't really get anything going. We had a couple of chances to get on the board and maybe get some momentum in fourth and sixth innings, but couldn't get it done."
Lexi Davis started and fell to 7-8 with the loss. Davis allowed two runs, both earned, on four hits with no walks or strikeouts in two innings of work. Hilary Mavromat relieved Davis to open the bottom of the third and went four innings allowing four runs, all earned, on six hits with one walk and no strikeouts.
Ellen Renfroe started and improved to 13-1 with the victory. Renfroe tossed five and two-thirds scoreless innings, scattering two hits, walking three and striking out five. Ivy Renfroe went the final one and one-third innings, allowing one hit with one walk and one strikeout.
The Lady Vols wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. Raven Chavanne led off with a single to center and stole second one pitch into the next at-bat. Kat Dotson followed with a bunt single between the pitcher and first base to put runners on the corners with no outs. Dotson swiped second base on the first pitch to Lauren Gibson putting runners at third and second.
Davis would pick up the first out when Gibson lined out to Morgan Estell at first base. Madison Shipman followed with a double to the gap in right-center, scoring both runners to give the Lady Vols a 2-0 lead.
Tennessee busted the game open in the third inning. Mavromat was greeted in the bottom of the third by Dotson who laced a leadoff double down the right field line. With one out, Dotson took third base on a passed ball. Shipman followed with a ground ball that hit off Emily Carosone at third. Carosone recovered, fired home but not in time to beat Dotson who scored to give UT a 3-0 edge. With a runner at first, Cheyanne Tarango crushed a home run to left to push the Lady Vols' lead to 5-0. It was Tarango's ninth home run of the season.
Melissa Brown made it consecutive homers as she took Mavromat to centerfield for her fourth home run of the season. Brown's solo shot made it 6-0 for the Lady Vols.
Auburn mounted its best scoring threat in the top of the fourth. Carosone reached on a fielder's choice which forced Tiffany Howard (single) out at second. A two-out walk to Caitlin Schultze put runners at second and first. Caitlin Jordan followed with a walk, fouling off eight pitches during the at-bat, to load the bases. Renfroe was able to end the threat, however, with a swinging strikeout of Jade Rhodes to end the inning.
The Tigers would load the bases with two outs again, this time in the top of the sixth. With two outs, Schultze walked and was lifted for pinch-runner Jordan Rocker. Ivy Renfroe then relieved Ellen Renfroe and allowed a single to Caitlin Jordan and a walk to Rhodes to load the bases. Austyn West pinch-hit for Kelsey Bogaards and got ahead in the count 2-0, but Ivy worked the count back even before getting a called third strike to end the inning.
In the top of the seventh, Renfroe got a line-out to third from Melero to open the inning. Estell followed and was hit by a pitch. Howard appeared to single following the HBP, but was called out for stepping out of the batter's box for the second out of the inning. The Lady Vols closed the game out when pinch-hitter McKenzie Kilpatrick flied out to left.