University of Tennessee Athletics
Lady Vol Softball Sweeps Home Fall Doubleheader
October 06, 2011 | Softball
Oct. 6, 2011
By Brian Davis, Assistant Media Relations Director
AKAMINE'S GRAND SLAM POWERS UT SOFTBALL PAST WESTERN KENTUCKY, 7-4
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - A grand slam by UT freshman catcher Hannah Akamine and a two-run double off the bat of junior second baseman Lauren Gibson helped the Tennessee Lady Vol softball team rally from an early deficit to post a 7-4 victory over Western Kentucky on Thurs., Oct. 6, during a fall exhibition at the Lee Softball Stadium.
UT is forced to play this fall season without the services of 2010 NFCA All-American Kat Dotson and 2011 SEC All-Freshman selection as both continue recovery after off-season surgery.
With the Big Orange trailing 4-0 on the scoreboard, junior third baseman Raven Chavanne (3-for-4) got what proved to be the key offensive onslaught started with one down in the bottom of the third by recording one of her three hits in the contest. Senior center fielder Ashley Andrews (2-for-3) followed with an infield single and Gibson (1-for-2, walk, hit by pitch) walked to pack the bags full of Lady Vols. Senior right fielder Shelby Burchell delivered a sacrifice fly to get Tennessee on the scoreboard, and senior Cat Hosfield reached on a botched Hilltopper fielder's choice to re-load the bases. Akamine stepped to the dish and quickly un-loaded them by blasting a shot off the Lee Stadium scoreboard for a grand slam, pushing UT to a 5-4 advantage.
In the bottom of the fourth, Chavanne and Andrews again got the offense started with back-to-back infield singles. Gibson cashed them both in with a double off the very top of the wall, granting the Big Orange a 7-4 lead.
From there junior relief pitcher Ivy Renfroe kept WKU under control to get the win from the circle as the 6-0 right-hander finished off the Lady Vols' exhibition victory.
DAVIN HOMERS TO BACK Ellen Renfroe'S GEM AS UT TOPS CHATTANOOGA ST., 3-1
Tennessee sophomore pitcher Ellen Renfroe fired a one-hitter, rookie first baseman Cheyanne Tarango singled in a run via a second inning single and sophomore designated player Melissa Davin blasted a solo homer as the Lady Vol softball team swept its Thurs. night doubleheader at Lee Stadium with a 3-1 victory over Chattanooga State.
Gibson helped the Lady Vol offense with a pair of doubles as part of a 2-for-3 effort at the dish, while junior shortstop Melissa Brown singled and later raced home on a wild pitch.
Following a quiet opening frame, Tennessee got its offense going in the bottom of the second by putting a two-spot on the scoreboard against Chattanooga State. Davin and Brown started the outburst with one out via back-to-back infield singles. Tarango delivered in the clutch situation with an RBI single just inside the third base bag and down the left field line to plate Davin for a 1-0 lead. A wild pitch soon allowed Brown to cross from 60 feet away, improving the lead to two tallies.
Chattanooga State got back within a run as a result of a pair of Lady Vol errors during the top of the sixth. After a dropped throw on a close play at first and a CSCC stolen base, a high Big Orange throw to third on another swipe attempt allowed the Tigers to close their deficit to 2-1.
Searching for some insurance in the bottom of the sixth, Davin provided it via a solo shot to left center, improving Tennessee's lead back to a pair of scores at 3-1.
Tennessee wraps up its fall campaign on Oct. 22, at Lee Stadium against Vol State (2 p.m.) and Tennessee Tech (4 p.m.).
