University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
Florida
FLORIDA OVERPOWERS LADY VOLS IN SERIES OPENER, 15-3
April 25, 2002 | Softball
April 25, 2002
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.
The University of Florida erupted for three runs in third inning and five more in the fourth stanza to cruise to a 15-3 win over the Lady Vol softball team in Thursday's first game at Tyson Park. With the triumph, the Gators (30-30/10-15 SEC) pushed Tennessee (33-23-1/8-15 SEC) a dangerous step closer to being eliminated from the SEC Tournament race. Freshman Amanda Knowles (12-9) scattered two hits and struck out seven over five innings to secure the win, while junior Stephanie Humphrey (22-17) was tagged for five runs on five hits in absorbing the defeat. The righty fanned five to eclipse the 300-K mark for the campaign.
Sophomore Stacy Rosen poked a one-out single in the third and later swiped second base as classmate Jenilee Garner was at the plate. A Tennessee fielding mistake left the Gators with runners on the corners before Lady Vol senior center fielder Hannah Low robbed sophomore Mylin Prieto of extra bases with a leaping catch against the outfield fence to end the inning.
The home team broke into the scoring column in the bottom of the inning on Low's sixth homer of the season. The Miwuk, Calif. native deposited rookie hurler Amanda Knowles' second offering to straightaway center field to give UT a 1-0 advantage. The hit was the Lady Vols' first of the afternoon.
The Gators came right back with three runs in the fourth on three hits and a UT error to forge a 3-1 lead. Senior Katy Berger smashed a leadoff double to left and took third when Tennessee's relay throw wound up the dugout. Humphrey caught junior Prissie Walden looking on strikes but then junior Jackie Marchetta followed with an RBI single up the middle to knot the contest at a run apiece. Florida moved in front seconds later when junior Bree Berger jacked her sixth dinger of the season to left to drive in Marchetta.
In the fifth, Humphrey issued a walk to freshman Mandy Schuerman to start the frame. Junior pinch runner Jennifer Brown advanced to second on a groundout before the Weeklys decided to walk Prieto intentionally. Senior Nicole Borg was then called upon to replace Humphrey in the circle. After taking two balls from the reliever, Katy Berger cranked a three-run shot to center for her first career home run to propel the Gators to a 6-1 cushion. Walden ripped a double into the outfield and Borg hit Marchetta, signaling another pitching change for the hosts.
Still with just one out in the inning, sophomore Crystal Bobo took over in the circle. The right-hander uncorked a wild pitch during Bree Berger's at bat, advancing freshman pinch runner Brittani Houghton and Prieto into scoring position. Following a walk to Berger, junior Andrea Zimbardi laced a two-run single through the left side of the infield to move the count to 8-1. Fortunately for Tennessee, Berger was gunned down at the plate on a perfect throw from junior Blaine Teasley to senior catcher Adrianna Wilson for the second out. In all, Florida plated five runs on three hits and four walks.
Lady Vol senior Nicole Murray launched her third double of the season to begin the fifth and sophomore Ellisha Humphrey drew a two-out walk to bring Low to the plate. The UT batter arched a high pop-up to left that was dropped, resulting in a pair of unearned runs to reduce the damage to 8-3.
Florida freshman Jessie Franklin belted her first career homer in the sixth off reliever Ellisha Humphrey with classmate Nikki Baldwin aboard to balloon UF's lead to seven runs. Baldwin had opened with a double to the gap in left center field. The Gators exploded for five more runs on four hits in the seventh to complete the 15-3 rout. Franklin and Walden contributed RBI singles and Marchetta unleashed her first career dinger with a three-run job to finalize the margin.
Walden finished 3-for-4, while the quartet of Baldwin (2-for-2, one run), Katy Berger (2-for-3, three RBI, two runs), Franklin (2-for-2, three RBI, two runs) and Marchetta (2-for-4, four RBI, three runs) enjoyed huge afternoons. Sophomore Amanda Moore also worked two scoreless innings for the victorious Gators.
