University of Tennessee Athletics
20 for 20: 9 Days Til Softball Season
January 28, 2015 | Softball
Only nine days left until the start of the 2015 Tennessee softball season! Today we look back at the 2007 Lady Vols -- the third of Tennessee's six Women's College World Series teams and the first team to advance to the Championship Series.
Tennessee celebrates its 20th year of softball in 2015. In honor of the program's 20-year anniversary, we will count down the 20 days leading up to 2015 season opener on Feb. 6 against Ohio by reflecting on each Tennessee softball team, starting with the first-ever squad in 1996. We will also count down the days by jersey number, reflecting on the past players who wore that day's countdown number.
The 2007 team was truly special, reaching a goal that every program strives for -- a spot in the final game of the NCAA softball season to compete for the sport's biggest prize. The '07 team went 63-8 and was ranked in the Top 3 for the entire season. UT was No. 1 for the vast majority of the season, going 57-8 as the top team in the nation.
Tennessee's 2007 team won a school-record 26 consecutive games from March 17 to April 28. The Lady Vols were dominant with the game's best pitcher in Abbott, an outstanding No. 2 hurler in Megan Rhodes (13-3, 1.50 ERA, 186 Ks, 111.2 IP) and a deadly offensive core of India Chiles (.459 BA, 57 runs, 44 stolen bases), Lindsay Schutzler (.392 BA, 4 HRs, 49 RBIs, 56 runs, 39 SBs), Tonya Callahan (.385 BA, 11 HRs, 16 2Bs, 60 RBIs) and Tiffany Huff (.339 BA, 6 HRs, 11 2Bs, 58 RBIs).
The 2007 roster featured Nicole Kajitani, Liane Horiuchi, Tiffany Baker, Alexia Clay, Danielle Pieroni, Natalee Weissinger, Monica Abbott, Kenora Posey, Caitlin Ryan, Megan Rhodes, Shannon Doepking, Allison Fulmer, Erinn Webb, Lillian Hammond, Anita Manuma, India Chiles, Jennifer Griffin, Lindsay Schutzler, Tonya Callahan and Tiffany Huff.
UT's postseason run through the NCAA Tournament was impressive as the Lady Vols shut out Furman, North Carolina and Winthrop in the Knoxville Regional and defeated Hawaii in the Knoxville Supers. Abbott no-hit Texas A&M in the first game of the WCWS and proceeded to shut down Arizona and Northwestern to lead Tennessee to the Championship Series. Against Arizona in Game 1, Shannon Doepking and Alexia Clay hit solo homers to give UT a 3-0 win and the advantage heading into Game 2. Tennessee stranded 14 baserunners in Game 2 and Arizona scored one run in the 10th to force Game 3. Tennessee's stretch of dominance ran out in Game 3 as a five-run Wildcat fifth handed Arizona Game 3 and the national title.
Abbott received NFCA All-America honors for the fourth-straight year and Schutzler finished her career as a three-time All-American. Callahan earned her second All-America honors and Chiles was named a First Team All-American for the first time in her career.
Abbott earned her third SEC Pitcher of the Year after going 17-6 with a 1.08 ERA and 201 strikeouts in conference play. Chiles became UT's first-ever SEC Player of the Year, hitting .544 in SEC play with 19 runs and 17 stolen bases.
The 2007 season also marked the conclusion of Abbott's incredible collegiate career. She finished as the all-time NCAA leader in wins (189), appearances (253), shutouts (112), strikeouts (2,440) and innings pitched (1448.0) and won the USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year. Abbott later had her jersey retired in 2013 and she remains one of the greatest players to have ever played softball or worn a Tennessee uniform.
JERSEY COUNTDOWN - #9
| No. 9 | |||||||||||
| No. | Player | Years | Pos. | GP-GS | Avg. | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | SB |
| 9 | Kelli Fitzgerald | 1996-1999 | 2B/3B | 272-271 | .349 | 805 | 192 | 281 | 4 | 157 | 26 |
| 9 | Melissa Radley | 2000-01 | SS | 110-110 | .294 | 316 | 43 | 93 | 2 | 41 | 15 |
| 9 | Crystal Bobo | 2002 | P | 30-4 | .062 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 9 | Jessica Wilson | 2003 | 1B | 8-0 | .000 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 9 | Caitlin Ryan | 2005-2008 | IF | 90-1 | .120 | 50 | 24 | 6 | 1 | 8 | 0 |
| 9 | Jessica Spigner | 2009-11 | 3B/1B | 176-175 | .332 | 494 | 104 | 164 | 38 | 159 | 1 |
| 9 | Hannah Devotie | 2014-pres | OF | 45-0 | .000 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| No. 9 | |||||||||||
| No. | Player | Years | Pos. | ERA | W-L | GS | CG | SH | IP | SO | |
| 9 | Crystal Bobo | 2002 | P | 4.94 | 3-1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 28.1 | 24 | |
| 9 | Jessica Spigner | 2009-11 | P | 5.25 | 2-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20.0 | 11 | |
Looking Back...
#9 Kelli Fitzgerald
1996-1999 | 2B/3B | 5-4 | R/R | Lakewood, Calif.
Fitzgerald was one of UT's first offensive stars, batting .349 with 281 hits, a school-record 76 doubles, 157 RBIs and 192 runs scored (second-most). As a freshman, "Fitz" played in all 68 contests for the Lady Volunteers. She boasted an impressive offensive season, hitting .356 overall with a staggering 22 doubles, 45 RBIs, 3 triples, and nine stolen bases. Her clutch sixth-inning double drove in three runs as Tennessee rallied topped Baylor 5-4 to win their first game ever. Fitzgerald hit two more doubles in the first televised game in Lady Vol history in a 15-2 win over Samford at Tyson Park. Her 14-game hitting streak was a school record in 1996. The following season, Fitzgerald started 66 of 67 games for the Lady Vols. She was one of just four players to see action in every game in the program's two years. She hit .307 overall in 1997, but stepped up in SEC play hitting .329. She also tied for second on the squad with 40 RBIs and was 7 for 7 in stolen base attempts. She recorded her first home run in a 11-1 thrashing of Sam Houston State. The 1998 season was a stand out in Fitzgerald's career, as she led the Lady Vols in hitting by tying her career-best average of .356 set as a freshman. She ranked first in slugging percentage (.495), runs (43) and doubles (23). She was stellar in conference play, batting in 12 runs, scoring 11, and nine doubles. Her performance earned her second-team All-Region and second team All-SEC in 1998. Fitzgerald finished strong in her senior season, hitting .375 overall (third best on squad) while driving in 40 runs, 20 doubles, a triple, earning Second-Team All-SEC honors for the second straight year. Fitzgerald sits atop the record book for career doubles at UT with 75 and also has top 10 finishes in RBIs, runs scored, games played, hits, and triples.
THROWBACK NOTES FROM HER BIO!
- Hobbies include surfing, rebuilding cars, and shopping
- Wishes to build an old Harley-Davidson sometime
#9 Jessica Spigner
2009-11 | 3B/1B | 5-8 | R/R | Santa Clarita, Calif.
Spigner is known as one of Tennessee's most potent hitters, batting .332 with 38 homers (third all-time), 40 doubles, 159 RBIs and 104 runs. She was an instant success as a freshman in 2009. Hitting .322 overall, she led the team in doubles (14) and topped the UT freshman record books with 14 home runs and 48 RBIs. She also posted a .638 slugging percentage on her way to earning Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-South Region and SEC All-Freshman Team honors in 2009. Spigner continued to thrive offensively in her sophomore season, hitting .360 overall, smashing 8 home runs, 58 RBIs, and matching her career-best 14 doubles to lead the squad once more. She registered 14 multi-hit contests, and her 17 multi-RBI games was a squad-best in 2010. Spigner's performance earned her Louisville Slugger/NFCA Second-Team All-Southeast Region. In 2011, the Lady Vols blasted a school record 69 home runs, led by none other than Spigner's 16 individual homers. Spigner added 53 RBIs, 36 runs scored, and 12 doubles offensively for the Orange and White in 2011. Spigner holds the second best career home runs record at UT (38), seventh in RBIs (159), and T-9th in doubles.
THROWBACK NOTES FROM HER BIO!
- Claims to have modeled herself athletically after former Tennessee and current Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning
- Lists the late Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., as the famous person she most admires
Looking Ahead...
#9 Hannah Devotie
2014-pres | OF | 5-2 | R/R | Johnson City, Tenn..
Devotie proved to be a reliable pinch runner in 2014, playing in 45 games and scoring a team-high 12 pinch runs and one stolen base. Look for speedy Tennessee native on the basepaths again this season!
THROWBACK NOTES FROM HER BIO!
- Hobbies include fishing, shooting bows and watching the Atlanta Braves
- Athlete she has modeled herself after is Chipper Jones
- Says her mother is her biggest sports influence because she pushed her to be a better softball player, student and person
