UT comes back to beat Georgia, 6-4

Saturday, April 5

Knoxville, Tenn.

University of Tennessee

34-7, 8-6

Georgia

35-9, 8-4

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

April 05, 2008 | Softball

Box Score

Box Score

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. ??? It took over two hours and 20 minutes, 250 total pitches and numerous comebacks but No. 12 Tennessee improved to 34-7 overall and 8-6 in the Southeastern Conference with a clutch 6-4 triumph over No. 14 Georgia (35-9, 8-4 SEC) in the opener of Saturday???s doubleheader at the Lee Softball Stadium.?? The UT triumph ended the Bulldogs' 16-game winning streak.

On her ???Senior Day,??? pitcher Megan Rhodes picked up her 15th win of the campaign by working 2.2 innings from the circle while allowing three earned runs on three hits.?? Freshman Ashton Ward recorded her third save of the season by firing two no-hit innings in relief, while junior Danielle Pieroni permitted one unearned score via four hits over 2.1 frames.

Freshman first baseman Jen Lapicki knocked in two runs as part of a 1-for-2 effort and also scored once.?? Senior shortstop Kenora Posey went 2-for-3 with a triple, a run scored and an RBI, while sophomore second baseman Nicole Kajitani also tallied an RBI in the victory.?? The Tennessee offense managed six total hits and took advantage of six walks from Bulldog starter Sarah McCloud and four Georgia errors.

Georgia wasted no time jumping in front on the scoreboard as the Bulldogs nabbed a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first.?? Right fielder Victoria Sanders opened the frame with a slap single just inside the left field line.?? Following a stolen base and a groundout that advanced the runner to third, Rhodes walked third baseman Alisa Goler placing occupants at the corners.?? Catcher Melissa Wood popped up on the infield for the second out getting UT closer to escaping the jam.?? Unfortunately for the Lady Vols, shortstop Megan Wiggins ripped a shot just past a leaping Tiffany Huff in right and to the wall for a two-RBI triple as the Red & Black nabbed a 2-0 advantage.??

After allowing a one-out walk to designated player Christina Reed in the top of the second, co-head coaches Ralph and Karen Weekly made the call to the bullpen bringing in junior Danielle Pieroni in relief of Rhodes.?? The lead immediately grew to three scores as second baseman Kristin Schnake greeted the new pitcher rudely with a two-bagger to the wall in right center as Reed raced around with UGA???s third run.

Needing to get a sustained offensive attack going, Huff attempted to get a threat started leading-off the bottom of the second with a bloop single into short right center.?? Lapicki worked the count to 3-2 against McCloud before bouncing into a fielder???s choice that cut down the lead runner.?? Sophomore center fielder Erinn Webb joined Lapicki on the base paths by drawing a walk.?? That set up a very bizarre series of events as a pair of two-out Bulldog miscues quickly got UT right back in the match-up.?? Posey bounced routinely to third, but the throw to first from Alisa Goler was low and dropped for an error by Georgia first baseman Brianna Hesson.?? On the play, Lapicki crossed with UT???s first run, while Webb rounded third and headed towards the plate.?? Hesson decided to throw home in a futile attempt to catch Lapicki, who had already scored.?? The toss was wide and ricocheted off the backstop for another error as Webb slid under a diving tag attempt by catcher Melissa Wood, scoring UT???s second tally.?? With Posey occupying third following the chaos, freshman designated player Kelly Grieve walked placing runners at the corners.?? A ground out ended the inning, but not before Tennessee had cut its deficit to 3-2.

The Bulldogs added to their lead in the top of the fourth with the assistance of a two-out infield error on the Lady Vols and a wild pitch from Pieroni.?? With Schnake standing on second after the miscue and the errant pitch to the plate, Sanders singled into right center scoring the runner for a 4-2 advantage.

Hammond led off the bottom of the fourth with a single into short left.?? UGA head coach Lu Harris-Champer pulled off an unexpected defensive switch with the slapper Posey stepping to the plate.?? The Georgia left fielder was brought into the infield as an extra defender while the center and right fielders shifted to left and center, respectively.?? With no one occupying right field, Posey managed to bounce a ball through the right side of the infield and into no man???s land.?? That allowed Hammond to race all the way around the diamond with UT???s third tally, and Posey to end up standing on third with a triple.?? Following a UT strikeout, Kajitani grounded into a fielder???s choice as Schnake corralled the ball and threw to the plate.?? Posey managed to evade Wood???s tag and touch the back of the dish, deadlocking the count at 4-4??

A sterling defensive play helped kill a potential Georgia threat in the top of the fifth.?? With runners on first and second and none retired, Taylor Schlopy flied out routinely to Webb in center.?? Pinch runner Katie Backer tagged up at second and attempted to advance up 60 feet to third but was gunned down easily by Webb on a perfect throw to Callahan.?? Hesson grounded out to Kajitani at second to end what had once been a promising inning for the Red & Black.??

Doepking managed a walk off McCloud to open the bottom of the fifth.?? Huff dropped a sacrifice bunt that was corralled by third baseman Goler before she threw the ball away to first for an error.?? The miscue allowed pinch runner Natalee Weissinger to end up standing at third with Huff occupying second.?? Lapicki stepped into the box and drove a base knock into right that was misplayed by Georgia right fielder Victoria Sanders marking the Bulldogs??? fourth error of the day.?? On the play both Weissinger and Huff managed to score, granting Tennessee its initial lead of the contest at 6-4.

Ward entered in relief of Rhodes starting the sixth inning and encountered a little difficulty.?? The Charlotte, N.C., native issued walks to Reed and Moody and the runners each swiped a base placing Georgia runners at second and third with two retired.?? Goler stepped in and lifted a shot into left but right at Hammond as the UT fielder made the catch ending the threat.

From there, UGA went down in order in the top of the seventh finishing off the two-hour-and-21-minute marathon as Tennessee picked up a big come-from-behind triumph.

No. 12 Tennessee continues its doubleheader versus No. 14 Georgia at approximately 3:45 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).