University of Tennessee Athletics
2005 SOFTBALL SEASON IN REVIEW
January 19, 2006 | Softball
Jan. 19, 2006
Entering the 2005 campaign, the theme "Rising Power" for the youthful Lady Vol softball team and Co-Head Coaches Ralph and Karen Weekly seemed apropos, as the rebuilding project at Tennessee entered its fourth season. Fresh on the heels of the most successful season in Orange & White history with a program-best 55 victories and UT's first NCAA Regional bid since 1999, the Lady Vols readied to take the field in 2005 armed with a roster of nine returnees and a lauded, yet inexperienced, group of eight freshmen. Expectations surrounding the program were high as always, but a sense of realism pervaded throughout the program. The squad entered the campaign down several key graduated contributors and lacking any senior leadership. Solid talent and strong team chemistry proved they have a way of overcoming such shortfalls, however, as the youthful Lady Vols embarked on what would become the most outstanding campaign in UT history.
When the arduous 82-game season that stretched from February to June was complete, it was obvious that the Orange & White had firmly entrenched themselves as a national softball power. Having compiled a single-season record-tying 67 victories and registered a third-place finish in UT's initial trip to the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City, Okla., the Lady Vols were rewarded with a program-best final ranking of third in both the ESPN.com/USA Softball and USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) polls. Four returning 2005 All-Americans and the invaluable experience on collegiate softball's brightest stage will only heighten expectations for a return to the WCWS in 2006.
Lady Vol sophomore pitcher Monica Abbott, who picked up a gold medal with the USA Elite team at the 1st World University Softball Championship in October, continued to lead the Lady Vol effort from the circle by registering one of the most incredible seasons in collegiate softball history. The Salinas, Calif., native led the nation in victories (50), solo shutouts (34) and strikeouts (603) while contributing to UT's national single-season record of 51 shutouts. The 6-3 lefthander became Tennessee's first two-time All-American, was a finalist for USA Softball's Collegiate Player of the Year award and picked up her second consecutive Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Year trophy, sharing kudos with Georgia's Michelle Green.
 Monica Abbott |
Junior third baseman Kristi Durant led the nation in RBI with 77 while receiving her third-consecutive first-team All-SEC nod and second-team Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-America honors. Junior centerfielder Sarah Fekete, a first-team All-American and All-SEC selection, led the conference in hitting at .414, while sophomore shortstop Lindsay Schutzler hit .396 and set a league record for hits with 107. The Monterey, Calif., native and second-team All-America and All-SEC honoree also led the conference in runs (72) and stolen bases (36). A trio of rookies picked up league kudos, as pitcher Megan Rhodes (14-6, 1.62 ERA, two no-hitters), catcher Shannon Doepking (.274 avg., seven HR's, 42 RBI) and first baseman Tonya Callahan (.300, 11 HR's, 46 RBI) each received selections to the SEC All-Freshman Team.
The 13th-ranked Lady Vols, boasting their highest preseason ranking in school history, ventured to Clearwater, Fla., to christen the new season at the Clearwater Invitational, where they claimed all five outings en route to a tournament co-championship along with fellow undefeated squad Florida. Against Central Florida in the season opener on Feb. 4, Abbott allowed just a pair of hits while striking out 13 Golden Knight batters. At the plate, Schutzler posted a 2-for-3 day and scored the season's first two runs, while sophomore second baseman Ashley Cline laced an important two-RBI double to left center to provide UT with some valuable insurance. The 4-0 triumph marked UT's second-consecutive season-opening victory.
Later that afternoon, Rhodes debuted for the Orange & White by striking out seven and allowing just a single earned run in 4.1 innings of work to pick up her initial collegiate victory by a 6-1 count over DePaul. Junior right fielder Stacey Jennings added the big offensive blow in the top of the fifth for the Lady Vols with a grand slam to left center to grant UT a 4-1 advantage. Abbott came on in relief of Rhodes in the fifth and authored some history, as the sophomore registered her 597th career strikeout to break former Lady Vol Stephanie Humphrey's program mark. Fekete recorded an RBI triple and Durant a run-scoring groundout in the seventh to close out UT's scoring.
The winning continued the next day as Jennings picked up her first win from the circle in 2005 by allowing just three hits in 5.2 innings of work with eight K's in an 8-0 victory over Gardner-Webb. The freshmen added stellar contributions against the Bulldogs, as rookie leftfielder Kortney Bell delivered her first career home run (two-run) and Natalie Brock and Callahan each posted their first career hits and RBI. Fekete was a perfect 3-for-3 at the dish, and sophomore catcher Brittany Bessho laced a two-RBI single in the first inning to get UT off to a quick start.
Facing the Florida A&M Rattlers later that afternoon, Abbott struck out 15 in registering her fifth career no-hitter in a 5-0 pasting. Durant led the Lady Vol effort at the plate with a 2-for-3, three RBI effort, as UT rode a five-run second-inning outburst to the victory.
With both Tennessee and fellow unbeaten Florida scheduled to face off three times during the conference season, the decision was made prior to Sunday, Feb. 6, to have UT match up against Louisville, while the Gators took on Central Florida to determine the event's champion. UF downed the Golden Knights 6-1 to remain perfect, and the Lady Vols added a co-championship to their resume by thwarting the Cardinals, 4-0. Abbott made it 24 consecutive scoreless innings to open 2005 by throwing a complete-game three-hitter with 13 K's. Schutzler contributed a two-run double in the second inning, and freshman Shannon Doepking delivered her first career home run to lead off the fourth, as UT equaled the '97 Lady Vol squad (5-0) for the program's best start to a campaign. Abbott picked up the SEC's initial Pitcher of the Week award for her efforts at the Clearwater Invitational.
Having risen all the way to ninth in the polls after the unbeaten run in Florida, the Orange & White jetted to Las Vegas, Nev., to participate in the prestigious Louisville Slugger Desert Classic. The event did not run as smoothly as event organizers had hoped, however, as torrential rainfall in the southwestern U.S. washed out opening day play and with it UT's chance to face off against Texas State and Michigan. Little did the Lady Vols know at the time, but they would get their opportunity to match up versus the Wolverines later in the season on the largest stage imaginable.
The following day (Feb. 12) dawned clear and warm in "Sin City" to finally allow tournament play to commence. The No. 9 Lady Vols took to the diamond against No. 15 Baylor in UT's first battle against a ranked team in 2005. Rhodes picked up a 4-0 victory over the Lady Bears with six strong innings of three-hit work to lead the Big Orange to the program's best-ever start at 6-0. Durant contributed an RBI single, and junior utility player Katherine Card delivered a three-run bomb to right in a sixth-inning outburst to key the triumph. In the squad's second outing of the day, Abbott, Doepking and Schutzler hammered back-to-back-to-back home runs in the second inning, and Abbott stretched her scoreless innings streak to open 2005 to 32 straight frames in a 5-0 romp over No. 22 Nebraska.
The final day of the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic yielded Tennessee an early-season opportunity to measure its youthful squad against a known commodity in powerful No. 8 Washington. Despite a late game time change that permitted the Lady Vols a shorter than usual warm-up period, the Orange & White fought off the Huskies to prevail 2-1 and move its overall record to 8-0 and its mark versus ranked teams to a perfect 3-0. Abbott was again superb in striking out 18 UW batters, including the first 10 of the contest, in a one-hitter. Card continued to shine in the Las Vegas event by hammering a game-winning two-run home run, her third in three games, over the right centerfield wall in the sixth. She was rewarded by the conference as the SEC Player of the Week after hitting .571, while Abbott picked up USA Softball National Player of the Week honors for going 2-0 with 27 K's in 15 innings against ranked foes at the Louisville Slugger event.
With UT up to seventh in the rankings after the 8-0 start, the squad traveled to Statesboro, Ga., to participate in the Georgia Southern Invitational. First up for the Lady Vols was an old nemesis, the Illinois-Chicago Flames. UIC eliminated Tennessee from the 2004 NCAA Regionals by a 6-5 score in a controversial contest that ended after 2:20 a.m. local time. With UT out for revenge, Abbott controlled things from the mound by two-hitting the Flames while striking out 12 in a 2-0 victory. Fekete scored from second on a Durant single in the first inning, and Cline blasted a solo bomb to center in the fourth to provide the UT hurler with all the offense she would need.
 Lindsay Schutzler |
In the day's second contest, Rhodes did her best to one-up her All-America teammate by throwing her first career no-hitter in a 9-0 (5 inn.) rout of Charleston Southern. The Nashville, Tenn., native struck out eight in helping UT improve to 10-0 overall, as the offense contributed a season-high in runs (nine) and swiped a program-record seven bases. Jennings pounded a two-run home run, and Fekete contributed a pair of RBI with three stolen bases. Card had the play of the game, however, in a five-run fourth inning as her base knock up the middle went through the legs of CSU's centerfielder, allowing the junior to race all the way around the diamond for an 8-0 lead.
Rhodes continued her pitching mastery the following day by hurling a one-hitter, while striking out 12 of the 16 Mercer batters she faced, in a 12-0 romp over MU. UT's bats erupted, while Bell and Doepking each provided homers in the rout. Junior Sarah Fekete's single in the fourth extended her program-best hit streak to 21 games, breaking the record previously established by Durant from March 20 to April 13, 2003. In the day's second match-up, the Orange & White downed homestanding Georgia Southern, 5-0, to advance to the GSU Invitational title game. Abbott fired a characteristic one-hit, 12-strikeout masterpiece, while Durant guided the offensive attack by going 3-of-4 with a pair of RBI.
The best opening to a campaign in Lady Vol history continued the following morning (Feb. 20), as UT improved to a perfect 13-0 and picked up the GSU Invitational title by downing Illinois-Chicago, 8-0 (5 inn.), behind Abbott's two-hitter. Fekete was a perfect 3-of-3 at the plate, Schutzler was 2-of-3 with two RBI and a pair of runs scored and Durant contributed four RBI on a pair of two-run singles. On the weekend the Lady Vols outscored their foes 36-0 in five contests, while the pitching staff allowed just six hits in 29 innings of play.
Five Lady Vols were rewarded for their efforts in Statesboro with selections to the GSU Invitational All-Tournament Team. Abbott led the way after recording a 3-0 mark with 36 K's while not allowing a single run. Cline (.500, one HR), Durant (.615, 10 RBI), Fekete (.615, 7 SB) and Schutzler (.438, four RBI) each received nods to the all-tourney squad to give the Lady Vols an event-best five members of the 12-player squad.
Tennessee's 13-0 start keyed a rise to fifth when the next USA Today/NFCA poll was released. The position marked the highest ranking, at that point, in program history. With three successful tournaments in the rear-view mirror, the Lady Vols once again winged their way to the West Coast to play in the illustrious Palm Springs Classic in Cathedral City, Calif. A difficult road lay in front of the Orange & White at the PSC, as No. 20 Pacific, No. 22 Oregon State, No. 23 Long Beach State, No. 1 California and Notre Dame were on UT's slate over Feb. 25-27.
Facing Pacific for the third time in program history proved to be the charm for the Lady Vols, as the Big Orange picked up their first-ever victory over the No. 20 Tigers in a 14-0, five inn., rout. With Abbott keeping the Pacific hitters off balance during her sixth career no-hitter, the Tennessee offense cranked out its most runs since a 16-3 romp over New Mexico State early in the 2004 campaign. Durant, UT's career leader in batting average, continued her torrid start by chalking up a 3-for-3, six-RBI effort, including a grand slam to center during a seven-run second inning. Bell added another home run, this time a monster three-run blast over the wall in left field, which easily approached the 300-foot mark.
No. 22 Oregon State and its star pitcher, Brianne McGowan, awaited the Orange & White in the nightcap, and with Abbott on top of her game; the contest devolved into a pitcher's duel. The big blow of the game occurred in the opening frame, as Card laced a two-out double over the OSU leftfielder to score Schutzler with what turned out to be the game's only run. UT's All-America hurler limited the Beavers to just one hit in the squad's seventh-straight shutout.
The following afternoon, Stacey Jennings hammered her second grand slam of the campaign in the top of the seventh to lead UT to a relatively easy 8-0 victory over No. 23 Long Beach State. With the victory, the Lady Vols improved to a program-best 16-0 overall and a perfect 6-0 against ranked teams in 2005. Unfortunately, the flawless run was to end just a few hours later against top-ranked California, as Tennessee suffered a 7-3 setback. Almost as an omen of the tough evening to come, Fekete suffered a mild concussion while standing in the on-deck circle against Cal. The Maryville, Tenn., native was struck in the forehead by a foul ball off the bat of Schutzler in the top of the first inning. The injury marked the beginning of a challenging campaign for the SEC's leading hitter, as injuries continually attempted to derail her 2005 season.
 Sarah Fekete |
With a key cog in the offensive machine sitting out on Feb. 27 against Notre Dame, and both Abbott and Rhodes suffering the effects of the flu, the Lady Vols were dealt a second-consecutive defeat in a 5-2 loss to the Fighting Irish. Despite a two-run homer by Schutzler, UT could get no closer than three runs after a UND outburst put four tallies on the scoreboard against Rhodes in the third inning. The news wasn't all bad for Tennessee, as Schutzler was honored as the SEC Player of the Week after hitting .588 (10-of-17) in the prestigious event.
Having suffered their first losing streak of the campaign in Palm Springs, it was left to the Lady Vols to determine how they would respond to adversity with the final tournament of the regular-season on the horizon in Summerville, S.C., at the Charleston Southern Invitational. Unfortunately, the losing skein grew to three straight games after a fourth-inning solo home run provided Providence a surprising, 1-0 win and gave UT's Abbott her first loss of the campaign. Rhodes keyed a Tennessee rebound in the day's second contest by striking out a career-high 13 and allowing just a single hit in a 12-0 (6 inn.) romp over Northern Colorado. Brock, Schutzler and Doepking each contributed a pair of RBI in the rout.
The winning continued on March 5, as Jennings registered her second career no-hitter in downing Morehead State 8-0 (6 inn.). Doepking carded a perfect 4-for-4 effort at the plate, while Cline contributed a pair of two-RBI doubles to lead the offensive attack. After a three-run Durant blast keyed an 11-0 victory over Furman to close pool play later in the day, the Lady Vols emerged as the top-seed in their bracket and opened playoff action in the evening against North Carolina A&T. With Rhodes constructing her second career no-hitter in the circle against the overmatched Aggies, the Lady Vol offense rang up a season-high 19 runs with a seven-run first frame and an 11-run third. Cline drilled a grand slam, and Callahan contributed four RBI to lead the offensive attack.
Heading into Sunday's playoff action at the CSU Invitational, UT needed three victories to secure their third tournament title of the campaign. After easily dispatching Longwood, 8-0, in five innings in the day's first outing, the Lady Vols utilized a one-hit, 15-strikeout gem from Abbott to down the College of Charleston, 4-0, and advance to the title contest against Villanova. UT's eighth contest in three days ended in another Lady Vol victory as another one-hitter from Abbott and RBI from Jennings, Durant and Cline secured the title for the Orange & White. For her superior efforts, Abbott was once again rewarded as the SEC Pitcher of the Week after registering a 4-1 mark with 55 K's in 29 innings. Durant and Schutzler each received nods to the CSU Invitational All-Tournament Team.
After five straight weekends of travel from coast-to-coast, the Lady Vols finally opened the home campaign on March 8 at Tyson Park by welcoming in-state foe Austin Peay for a doubleheader. After a nine-run first-inning explosion led UT to a 9-0 victory over the Lady Govs in the opener, UT registered the DH sweep with a 13-0 (5 inn.) win in the nightcap. The Big Orange utilized a power surge in the day's second game as Card, Doepking and Callahan each blasted a three-run home run in the victory. Callahan's towering shot was driven deep over the left field wall and onto the Alcoa Highway overpass. Rhodes hurled a two-hitter against APSU for her seventh victory of the campaign.
The following afternoon Tennessee improved its overall record to 27-3 and made it 11 wins in a row with a home doubleheader sweep of East Tennessee State. Abbott K'ed 13 in the opener, and Doepking registered three RBI, as UT easily triumphed, 7-0. Durant and Callahan provided all the offense necessary in the day's second contest, as each went deep in a 3-0 win. The series versus ETSU concluded an incredible 11-game stretch in which the Lady Vols outscored their opponents 98-0.
With a solid non-conference slate in the rearview mirror and a new program-best ranking of fourth, according to the NFCA, Tennessee readied to open the rugged SEC schedule by welcoming Western Division power Alabama for a three-game home set over March 12-13. UT took advantage of its momentum and recorded a sweep of the opening Saturday doubleheader with UA by scores of 3-1 and 7-1. Abbott stretched UT's scoreless streak to 75.2 innings before a two-out homer in the seventh inning of game one by the Crimson Tide ended the skein. Leading 1-0 in the day's first game, Schutzler delivered the big shot with a two-run home run in the sixth to grant the Lady Vols some valuable insurance. Abbott picked up another win in the day's second game after coming in from the bullpen, while Bessho laced a three-run, pinch-hit double down the right field line to turn a 4-1 game into 7-1.
With an important opening SEC series win in the back pocket, Tennessee traveled to South Carolina, where the Lady Vols pounded the Gamecocks, 9-1 and 12-0 (five inn.), behind consecutive one-hit pitching performances from Abbott and Rhodes. When weather intervened and canceled the series finale, the Big Orange was able to turn its focus toward a weekend home set versus the Mississippi State Bulldogs.
 Kristi Durant |
Off to a solid 4-1 start in conference play, the Orange & White improved on that mark with a three-game sweep of MSU that boosted UT back to fourth in the rankings. Abbott outdueled State's Stephanie Comeaux in a 1-0 triumph that marked the program's 400th victory. After a Fekete base hit and stolen base, Durant drilled an RBI single in the first to plate the contest's only run. In the afternoon's second match-up, Doepking's three-run double off the wall keyed an 8-4 win, as UT improved to 33-4 overall. Abbott picked up the win in all three games in the series and moved her season record to 24-1 after registering a complete-game four-hitter in Sunday's 3-1, UT victory.
A spring break jaunt through the state of Virginia produced three more victories and a team single-season stolen base record (85), as the Lady Vols downed Liberty, 8-1 and 12-0 (five inn.), and Virginia, 10-0. Durant ignited some fireworks in the opening win over the Flames by posting a 4-for-4, six-RBI, two home run effort at the dish. The trip would be remembered, however, more for what was lost than gained, as Fekete, the SEC's leading hitter at .505, suffered a broken jaw in the seventh inning after being struck in the face by a UVA pitch. The Maryville, Tenn., native required surgery to stabilize the injury forcing her out of the lineup until April 19.
Without its leading hitter, UT continued on in conference action, as Abbott gave Kentucky a dose of perfection in a 5-0 win at Tyson Park. The Wildcats got some revenge in the second game of the day, as an eighth-inning home run by Brooke Marnitz sealed a 2-1 UK triumph in a contest that saw the Big Orange leave nine base runners stranded. The Lady Vols got back in the win column the following day with a 3-1 victory over Kentucky and continued their SEC win streak with 6-0 and 2-1 wins over Arkansas on April 3.
Abbott was perfect again for the second time in seven days in a 1-0 victory at Tennessee Tech (April 5), as the All-America hurler struck out the first 10 Tech batters she faced and 18 for the game. A key run-scoring double in the top of the seventh by Schutzler granted UT all the offense it would need. Rhodes was masterful in the 3-0 nightcap in picking up her 10th career win, while rookie Natalie Brock hammered her initial home run.
Injuries began to take their toll on the Lady Vols. They headed into the meat of the conference slate as Doepking joined Fekete on the list of injured for the series at Auburn. UT picked up a victory in the series-opener behind a one-hit shutout from Abbott and big hits by Callahan and Bessho. The final two match-ups, however, went the way of the Tigers, as AU downed UT, 3-1 and 6-1.
After rain washed out the annual State-Line Classic versus Virginia Tech in Bristol, the Lady Vols ventured down to Gainesville to take on Florida. The Gators took two of three contests against the Big Orange, including a pair of one-run victories, to extend UT's SEC losing skein to a season-high four games. With a two-game road sweep of Austin Peay getting UT back on a three-contest winning streak, the Big Orange could turn its attention toward an important series against SEC-leading Georgia at home in Knoxville. The match-ups with APSU proved both historic and important to the Lady Vol season as Abbott registered her 1,000th-career K and Fekete returned to the lineup after recouperating from her jaw injury.
With a regional television audience watching on CSS, UT split an April 23 doubleheader with the Bulldogs. After falling 4-1 in the opener, Card drilled a single up the middle in the third inning of game two to plate Schutzler and Fekete and lead the Orange & White to a 3-1 victory. The final contest saw Georgia pull out a 9-6, series-clinching victory, as a six-run fifth did in Abbott and the Lady Vols. The Big Orange fell to 48-11 and 14-8 in SEC play.
Abbott hurled her 54th double-digit strikeout performance, with 15 K's, in a 3-0 bounce-back victory over Marshall in the opener of a doubleheader before closing the 2005 home campaign with a 5-1 win in the nightcap for team win number 50 on the season.
 Katherine Card |
UT picked up a victory in the opener of a road series at Ole Miss (4-0) behind another Abbott no-no and looked as if it was on its way to a tough 1-0 loss in the day's second contest. A dramatic two-out, seventh-inning rally by the Lady Vols, however, plated three runs and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Consecutive singles by Fekete, Brock, Schutzler and Durant and an Ole Miss error provided the difference in a 3-1 UT win. Tennessee closed out the series on Sunday with a 9-0 (five inn.) triumph. For her outstanding efforts against both Marshall and UM, Abbott was awarded both Louisville Slugger/NFCA National Player of the Week and SEC Pitcher of the Week honors.
A trip to Baton Rouge, La., to face off against perennial power LSU waited on the schedule to close the regular-season campaign. Tennessee ended the slate in style with three shutout victories to break the school single-season victory mark set in 2004 (55-16) with its 56th triumph. A perfect suicide squeeze bunt by Durant in the ninth inning to score India Chiles proved the different in a 1-0 win in the opener, while Rhodes tossed her eighth shutout of the campaign in a 3-0 UT win in the day's second contest. The Orange & White completed the season with Abbott's single-season record-tying 24th solo shutout, as the Lady Vols bested LSU, 2-0, in nine frames.
Seeded fourth in the league's showcase event, the SEC Tournament, UT was forced to play fifth-seeded Florida in its tourney opener. With Abbott recording her 500th strikeout of 2005, and the Lady Vols breaking out with a three-run first inning, the Orange rolled over UF, 4-0.
Georgia awaited Tennessee in the next round, and the 'Dawgs continued their success against the Big Orange by dropping UT to the losers' bracket with a 5-3 victory. After rallying to down Mississippi State, 3-0, and Alabama, 3-1, behind complete-game pitching efforts from Abbott to continue their SEC run, the Lady Vols were eliminated from title contention by the same Crimson Tide squad, 3-0. UA's Stephanie VanBrakle was Tennessee's version of kryptonite, as the Tide pitcher threw a complete-game, one-hitter while blasting a three-run bomb in the seventh to give eventual SEC Tourney-champ Alabama all the offense it needed.
When the NCAA announced the field for the annual NCAA Tournament, Tennessee received its third postseason bid as the No. 11 national seed hosting the NCAA Regionals for the first time in program history. With a new format in place for this year's NCAA event, UT would be forced to win its regional and then triumph in a best-of-three playoff series against a fellow region champ to advance to the Women's College World Series.
The Big Orange's road to Oklahoma City began at Tyson Park on May 20 against Miami (Ohio). Behind Abbott's 43rd win of the campaign and two-run homers from both Doepking and Callahan, UT downed the Redhawks 9-0 (five inn.).
Having already met and defeated the College of Charleston earlier in the season at the CSU Invitational, Tennessee had an advantage in knowing its opponent. That fact came in handy, as UT was forced to play C of C twice in order to win the Knoxville Regional. The Cougars fell, 4-0, to UT on May 21 in winners' bracket action, as Abbott again handcuffed an opponent, and Card delivered three RBI to lead the offensive attack. With the College of Charleston surviving the losers' bracket to advance to the regional final, Tennessee utilized a crucial two-run home run to center by Schutzler in the fifth and another no-hitter from Abbott (her sixth of the season) to advance into the NCAA Super Regionals.
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The reward for the Lady Vols' regional victory was a trip to Palo Alto, Calif., to contest a best-of-three series against No. 6 national seed and fourth-ranked Stanford from the prestigious Pac-10 Conference. Entering play with a 43-14 record, the Cardinal entered play battle-tested against some of the nation's toughest squads. Tennessee proved to possess similar mettle, as UT blanked Stanford twice to advance to the program's first Women's College World Series. Abbott was again magnificent by registering a two-hitter in the opening game, 2-0 victory, while Card homered and drove in both runs for the offense. A national record fell in the second contest as a 6-0 Lady Vol win broke UCLA's 1997 mark for single-season shutouts with the Lady Vols registering their 48th of the campaign. A five-run third inning outburst, ignited by singles from Fekete, Durant and Callahan and a pair of Stanford errors, gave Abbott all the support she would need. A sliding catch of a foul ball by Card on the dead run from her left field position ended the game and ignited a spirited Orange & White celebration.
In Oklahoma City on collegiate softball's biggest stage for the first time and in front of a national viewing audience on ESPN2, Tennessee proved it wasn't bothered by all the pomp and circumstance by downing No. 3 Arizona, 1-0, in its initial venture into WCWS play. With Abbott again twirling a one-hit masterpiece, Card continued her torrid NCAA Tournament by singling in the eventual winning run with two outs in the sixth. After Callahan drew a crucial walk and Cline was brought in as a pinch-runner at first, Card drilled a line drive to right that was corralled by UA's rightfielder. In an attempt to throw behind Card, the ball got away from Arizona's first baseman and rolled down near the plate. Despite an effort by the Wildcat catcher to cut down Cline at the dish, the UT sophomore slid just under the tag of pitcher Alicia Hollowell to put the Big Orange out in front for good with a 1-0 advantage.
Winners' bracket action commenced the following afternoon against two-time defending national champion and No. 7 UCLA. Facing the Bruins super-freshman pitcher Anjelica Selden, the Lady Vols suffered a 3-1 setback, as a pair of crucial errors contributed to UT's defeat. Callahan knotted the score at one apiece with a towering blast to left in the fourth, but UCLA answered back immediately with single runs in the fifth and sixth frames to take control.
Inclement weather brought a halt to World Series action for a day, as severe storms rumbled through the Oklahoma City area. The following afternoon, Tennessee survived the losers' bracket by besting fellow SEC member Alabama, 4-0, behind another Abbott complete-game shutout. With the victory over the Crimson Tide, UT advanced to battle No. 1 and top-seeded Michigan for the right to advance to the national championship best-of-three series. UT would have to down the Wolverines twice in a two-day span to avoid elimination.
Several extra-inning games on June 6 pushed the start time for Tennessee's opening contest with UM back from 7 p.m to 9:53 p.m. CT. That delay proved especially important considering the pitcher's duel that ensued. With Abbott and Michigan's Jennie Ritter matching zeroes on the scoreboard through regulation play, extra innings became necessary to settle the contest. Both teams had several chances to score spoiled by key pitches or crucial defensive plays throughout 10 innings of play. In the bottom of the 11th frame, Tennessee finally touched Ritter for the game-winner, as a Durant lead-off single was followed by Callahan's team-leading 11th home run of the season. At 1:21 a.m. CT, the freshman's moon shot landed just inside the foul pole down the left field line to give UT a 2-0 win and ignite a raucous Orange-hued party. The win was the Lady Vols' 67th of the campaign, tying for the most-ever in a single season in NCAA history, and made a second game between the two combatants necessary.
With just a few hours of sleep under their belts, the teams returned to the diamond at noon on June 7 to battle for a berth opposite UCLA in the national title series. UT battled hard throughout the seven-inning affair, even fighting back from a three-run deficit to cut the gap to one on a Natalie Brock two-out, two-RBI single in the fifth, but fell to eventual national titlist Michigan by a 3-2 score. Tennessee had the tying run on second with two down in the seventh after Jennings laced a double to right center. She was left stranded, however, to end the Lady Vols' season.
Entering the 2005 campaign with a youthful roster devoid of a single senior, a lauded but inexperienced freshman class and solid leadership from the coaching staff, hopes were cautiously high that Tennessee could finally take the next step by advancing to the Women's College World Series. With a national record-tying 67 victories and a third-place finish in its inaugural visit to Oklahoma City, the squad proved, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that it truly was a "Rising Power" in the world of collegiate softball.
