No. 9 UT Completes DH Sweep of Lipscomb

Tuesday, March 25

Knoxville, Tenn.

University of Tennessee

30-5

Lipscomb

13-16

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Lipscomb	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	5	2
Tennessee	0	3	0	0	1	0	X	4	10	2

March 25, 2008 | Softball

Box Score

Box Score??

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. ??? A two-for-three day at the plate by junior left fielder Lillian Hammond, highlighted by an inside the park job for her initial career home run, propelled the ninth-ranked University of Tennessee softball team (30-5, 6-4 SEC) to a 4-1 win and a sweep of both games of a Tuesday doubleheader against Lipscomb at Lee Softball Stadium.
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Senior hurler Megan Rhodes struck out a season-high 12 while walking just two batters over six and two thirds innings to pick up her 14th win of the 2008 campaign. Sophomore first baseman Tiffany Huff followed up her three-RBI performance in the day???s first game with a two-for-three showing at the plate and a stolen base in game two. Senior catcher Shannon Doepking and freshman second baseman Chandra Mogan also recorded two-for-three outings at the plate, with Doepking knocking in her 28th run of the year.
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???I thought we played really well in the opener,??? Lady Vol co-head coach Ralph Weekly said.?? ???In game two we may have relaxed a little bit after winning the first contest by the run-rule.?? I thought Megan Rhodes stepped up and pitched very well for us in the second game.?? Midweek???s are so tough on a team that???s right in the middle of conference play.?????
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A lead-off walk by center fielder Lauren Dortwegt and a single allowed to shortstop Abby Keese set up Lipscomb runners at first and second in the top of the first as the Lady Bisons threatened immediately.?? Rhodes rebounded to strikeout designated player Kellie Sirus and third baseman Christen Campbell to end the scoring chance with no damage.
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A quiet bottom of the first for Tennessee led into a dominant top of the second for UT???s senior pitcher as Rhodes struck out the Lady Bisons in order.?? First baseman Heather Collins, second baseman Megan Rottler and catcher Katie Brokmeyer all went down via strikes to up Rhodes??? K count to five through just two innings of work.
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The Big Orange offense got untracked in the bottom of the second with the inning???s big blow coming from an unlikely power source.?? Lead-off singles from Doepking and Huff placed two runners aboard with none out.?? An infield pop fly off the bat of sophomore center fielder Erinn Webb and a groundout to second from junior right fielder Danielle Pieroni threatened to undermine the inning.?? That brought Hammond to the dish in a big two-out spot, and she came through in an almost unprecedented way, at least for a slap hitter.?? With the outfield playing shallow, Hammond launched a shot over the head of center fielder Dortwegt that rolled all the way to the wall.?? Freshman pinch runner Kelsey Stander and Huff each scored as Hammond worked on quickly circling the bases.?? The Chattanooga, Tenn., native easily scored standing up, recording her first career home run via the inside the park route.?? A groundout ended the rally, but not before Tennessee had nabbed an important 3-0 lead.
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Rhodes K???ed Lipscomb left fielder Mackenzie Tucker to record her sixth strikeout in a row opening the top of the third.?? Dortwegt broke the string of pitching dominance with a single to left.?? After a punch out of right fielder Sara Simons, the runner was joined on the base paths as co-head coaches Ralph and Karen Weekly made the decision to intentionally walk Keese and her nine homers and 26 RBI.?? The move paid dividends as Sirus popped out to Huff in foul ground outside of first concluding the inning.
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The Lady Bisons christened another threat in the top of the fourth with the assistance of Rhodes and the Tennessee defense.?? The Nashville, Tenn., native hit lead-off batter Campbell with a pitch.?? An error on an infield grounder off the bat of Collins placed two runners aboard with still no one out.?? The Big Orange pitcher responded in the face of adversity, once again, by striking out Rottler and Brokmeyer looking, before Tucker grounded meekly to second.
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After leaving a pair of runners stranded in the fourth, Tennessee???s senior shortstop Kenora Posey opened the bottom of the fifth with a slap single into right field and a stolen base.?? Mogan ripped a hard bouncing shot back up the middle and ended up standing on second.?? On the play, Posey rounded third and attempted to slide around a tag but was gunned down on a perfect throw home from Lipscomb center fielder Dortwegt.?? Callahan popped up to second baseman Rottler in short right recording the inning???s second retirement.?? Doepking lifted a blooper towards right that hit the ground just beside a diving Rottler before kicking sharply to the left allowing Mogan the chance to cross for a 4-0 advantage.
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The shutout ended for Rhodes in the top of the sixth as lead-off hitter Collins turned on an offering and drove it over the fence down the left field line cutting Lipscomb???s deficit to 4-1.?? Pinch hitter Katie Haab followed immediately with a base knock into left that was run down by Hammond near the line.?? Brokmeyer was struck in the stomach by a Rhodes offering to place two aboard with still no one retired.?? That brought a visit to the circle as assistant coach Marty McDaniel strode from the dugout in an attempt to settle down his hurler.?? On a 2-2 count, Rhodes uncorked a wild pitch to the backstop allowing both base runners to advance 60 feet into scoring position.?? Tucker went down on strikes marking a huge first out in the frame and bringing up the top of the Lady Bisons batting order.?? Dortwegt went fishing for a pitch well off the plate to become the 12th Lipscomb strikeout victim of the contest.?? The dire threat was averted as Rhodes induced a pop-up from Simons that Huff squeezed in foul ground to complete the inning.
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Webb opened the Orange & White???s half of the sixth with a walk and a stolen base to advance to second with no outs.?? Following a strikeout and a fly out, Lapicki reached via an error on Lipscomb shortstop Keese improving the situation to runners at the corners.?? Sophomore pinch hitter Anita Manuma was brought in to hit for Posey and, after a stolen base by freshman Kelly Grieve, the Ewa Beach, Hawai???i, native went down swinging to leave a pair stranded.
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Down to the final chance in regulation, Lipscomb opened the top of the seventh with Keese popping up to Callahan at third.?? Sirus came up next and was promptly retired on a bouncing ball fielded by Mogan at second.?? Pinch hitter Abigail Craig swung and missed at strike three to end the contest and secure a sweep for the Big Orange.????????????????????????????????????
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It???s back to the road in league play for No. 9 Tennessee as the Lady Vols venture down to ???the Plains??? to battle Auburn in a three-game series.?? First pitch for the Sat., March 29th doubleheader is slated for 5 p.m. ET.?? Live stats will be available through utladyvols.com and, as always, periodic updates of the UT games will be recorded on the Lady Vol Hotline (865-974-8700, box #6).