University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
Northwestern
Tennessee Holds Off Northwestern, 7-6, in Quarterfinal Action
February 05, 2000 | Softball
Lady Vol Freshman Leslie Poole Tosses Complete Game in First Start
- Box Score
In its first playoff contest at the Louisville Slugger Tournament in Tampa, the Lady Vol softball team raced out to a 7-0 cushion over higher-seeded Northwestern in freshman Leslie Poole's initial collegiate start. Despite committing a season-high six errors and being out-hit by the Wildcats, 12-7, Jim Beitia's squad hung on for a 7-6 decision to even its mark at 2-2.
With the narrow win, Tennessee receives another opportunity to meet top-ranked and defending NCAA champion UCLA (4-0) in one semifinal tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock. Yesterday, the Bruins pinned a 10-0 setback on the Lady Vols.
Against Big 10 member Northwestern, the Orange and White broke into the scoring column in the top of the first, as a double to left field by sophomore Adrianna Wilson plated junior Janette Koshell, who had drawn a two-out walk from Brie Brown. UT would extend its advantage to 3-0 in the third on a base-hit to left field by senior third baseman Amanda Venable which drove in pinch runner senior April Phillips and junior Maura Mollet.
Junior Melissa Radley scored on a wild pitch in the fourth to push the Orange's lead to 4-0 before Wilson slugged her first homer of the campaign, a three-run blast over the left field fence off NU reliever Lauren Schwendimann to balloon the margin out to 7-0.
Poole appeared to be in full command of the Wildcat hitters but the UT defense started to struggle beginning in the fourth. Northwestern plated one unearned run in the 4th, three more in the fifth and trimmed the deficit to 7-6 in the sixth on a pair of runs, three hits and two more Tennessee mistakes.
In the last inning, Poole retired the first two NU batters before yet another error gave the 'Cats extended life. However, the 6'4" righty from Rootstown, Ohio, induced a grounder to shortstop Radley that was relayed over to Nadia Cameron for the game's final out.
Poole surrendered 12 hits and fanned two to notch her first victory as a Lady Vol. For the Big Orange, Wilson was 2-for-3 with four runs batted in, while Koshell scored twice. Five other Tennessee players contributed one hit. Northwestern right fielder Brett Nakabayashi and center fielder Erin Jancic ripped three hits apiece in the losing effort. ###
