No. 4 UT Outlasts Charlotte, 8-4

Friday, February 29

Columbus, Ga.

University of Tennessee

15-1

Charlotte

7-6

Charlotte

Tennessee

February 29, 2008 | Softball

Box Score

COLUMBUS, Ga. ??? No. 4 Tennessee improved to 15-1 on the season with a come-from-behind, 8-4 victory over Charlotte in both teams??? opener on Friday afternoon at the prestigious NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga.?? The two squads??? pitching staffs combined for 13 walks (Charlotte had eight) in the nearly two-hour match-up.
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Senior pitcher Megan Rhodes improved to 6-0 on the campaign but allowed four runs, three earned, on four hits.?? The Nashville, Tenn., native struck out five, but also walked three 49er hitters.?? Freshman Ashton Ward permitted no runs or hits while hurling the final two frames to register the first save of her career.??
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The Lady Vols were led offensively by senior catcher Shannon Doepking as the Acton, Calif., product knocked in a pair of runs and delivered a solo homer as part of a 1-for-3 effort.?? Senior third baseman Tonya Callahan singled in a run and was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to tally a pair of RBI.?? Senior second baseman Kenora Posey, sophomore outfielders Erinn Webb and Anita Manuma and sophomore second baseman Nicole Kajitani each recorded an RBI in the contest.
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The Tennessee offense wasted no time in jumping on Charlotte pitcher Katy Hackett by tallying three runs on four hits in the bottom of the first.?? Junior left fielder Lillian Hammond opened the frame by singling to left and swiped second to reach scoring position.?? Posey laid down a beautiful bunt for a base hit that ended up lying unmolested between the 49ers??? third baseman, pitcher and first baseman with no one making the play.?? Posey took advantage of a distracted defense to advance to second on the play.?? Hackett uncorked a wild pitch that plated UT???s initial run of the contest as Hammond crossed from 60 feet away.?? Callahan stepped in and ripped a shot through the left side plating Posey to make it 2-0.?? Freshman Kelsey Stander was inserted into the line-up to pinch run and immediately took off for second base on a successful steal attempt.?? Following a ground out for the second retirement of the frame, and with Stander occupying third, Webb launched a line drive into short center allowing Stander to come home with UT???s third run.?? Webb swiped second, but was eventually doubled off the base on a promising blooper off the bat of sophomore Tiffany Huff that was nabbed on an over-the-shoulder catch by Charlotte shortstop Cee Brooks.?? The 49er fielder turned after making the brag and barely cut down a sliding Webb at the bag to end the assault.
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While the Tennessee offense was putting up numbers on the scoreboard, Rhodes was doing an equally impressive job from the circle.?? The Nashville, Tenn., native retired the first six Charlotte hitters she faced, including three by strikeout.
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In the bottom of the second, UNCC???s Hackett allowed walks to Lapicki, Manuma and Hammond to load the bases with just one down.?? With Posey???s position in the line-up scheduled to step into the batter???s box, the Weeklys??? called on senior pinch hitter Caitlin Ryan in an attempt for a big inning.?? The Knoxville, Tenn., product worked the count to 3-2 and fouled off several tough pitches against Hackett before swinging at strike three.?? The Big Orange missed out on a big scoring chance as Callahan bounced a routine ground ball to third as Charlotte???s Jenny Rumbles corralled the orb and stepped on the third base bag to force the runner, leaving three Lady Vols stranded.
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The 49ers offense finally got something going against Rhodes in the top of the third as designated player Tenaya Tucker led off the inning with a bloop single to left.?? Following a sacrifice bunt by first baseman Alyssa Kemmerer, right fielder Keri Palma delivered a base knock to left scoring pinch runner Kendra McCall and cutting the UNCC deficit to 3-1.?? With the runner occupying second after advancing on the unsuccessful throw to the plate, second baseman Sarah Malene was walked putting two aboard with just one out.?? Rumbles grounded a ball back to the circle that was thrown away at first for an error allowing UNCC???s second tally to cross the dish.?? With runners standing at second and third, center fielder Serena Smith singled into short left bringing two more 49ers to home plate and placing Tennessee behind, 4-3.?? Thankfully, a running grab of a pop-up by Posey behind the circle and her throw behind the runner at first recorded a double play to get the Big Orange out of the inning.
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Doepking brought UT even leading off the bottom of the third by blasting her first home run of the season to deep right and over the small portable fence to deadlock the contest at 4-4.?? Webb and Huff followed with consecutive walks and each stole a base to set the situation at second and third with no one out.?? Lapicki delivered a sacrifice fly to left as Webb raced home from 60 feet away granting the Big Orange the lead once again at 5-4.?? A pair of groundouts left Huff stranded at third, but Tennessee had regained its advantage.
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After a relatively quiet fifth frame, the 49ers got a runner aboard to open the sixth as catcher Jaime West ripped a single into right center.?? That brought an end to Rhodes??? day as the Lady Vol coaching staff made a call to the bullpen to summon in Ward in a potential save situation.?? The Charlotte, N.C., native got the first out off a sacrifice bunt by Brooks which allowed the 49er base runner to achieve scoring position.?? After walking Forbes, Ward emphatically closed out the threat with consecutive strikeouts of Tucker and Kemmerer.
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New Charlotte pitcher Emily Jeffery struggled immediately upon entering the contest to start the bottom of the sixth.?? She walked Lapicki and sophomore Nicole Kajitani and hit Hammond with a pitch to load the bases.?? Having been pinch hit for in the same situation in the second, Posey stepped in to hit this time and drew the third free pass of the frame to force in an important insurance run as Tennessee went up 6-4.?? Callahan became the second batter of the inning to be hit with a pitch as Kajitani crossed with UT???s seventh score.?? The advantage grew to 8-4 as Doepking hammered a sacrifice fly to deep center, just missing her second HR of the contest.
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Down to their last chance in regulation, Charlotte had the benefit of the nine, one and two batters in the order scheduled to step into the box.?? Palma got the 49ers off to a promising start by drawing a lead-off walk against Ward.?? The rookie hurler responded, however, by inducing a fielder???s choice from Malene, striking out Rumbles and also got Smith to record a fielder???s choice to secure another Tennessee victory and pick up her first career save.????
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No. 4 Tennessee???s participation in the prestigious NFCA Leadoff Classic will continue Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. in the South Commons Stadium against Hofstra.?? Live stats will be available through utladyvols.com for the two contests and, as always, periodic updates of the UT games will be recorded on the Lady Vol Hotline (865-974-8700, box #6).