University of Tennessee Athletics
SOFTBALL CENTRAL: KSU Classic (Feb. 6-8)
February 05, 2015 | Softball
Feb. 5, 2015
Bailey Park
Kennesaw, Ga. 
LIVE BLOG
| KSU CLASSIC | |||
| Date | Opponent | Time | Links/Results |
| Fri., Feb. 6 | vs. Ohio | W, 5-0 | Recap | Box Score |
| Fri., Feb. 6 | vs. Dayton | W, 9-0 (5) | Recap | Box Score |
| Sat., Feb. 7 | at Kennesaw State | W, 13-5 (5) | Recap | Box Score |
| Sun., Feb. 8 | vs. Northern Kentucky | 3 p.m. ET | Live Audio | Live Stats |
NO. 13 TENNESSEE
- Tennessee opens its 2015 season Feb. 6-8 with games against Ohio, Dayton, Kennesaw State and Norhtern Kentucky in the KSU Classic at Bailey Park in Kennesaw, Ga.
- There have been some time changes with UT's season opener vs. Ohio on Friday moved back to 11 a.m. ET and its second game on Friday against Dayton moved to 3 p.m. ET.
- Tennessee starts the season at No. 13 in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll and No. 14 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25 Poll. It is the 11th-straight year that Tennessee opens up ranked in both polls.
- Tennessee went 46-12 in 2014, making its seventh NCAA Super Regional in the last 10 seasons. The Big Orange has won at least 40 games in each of its last 12 seasons. Tennessee went 17-7 in SEC play and stormed through the NCAA Knoxville Regional, run-ruling Charleston Southern and Virginia Tech and defeating Lipscomb, 2-0, to advance to Super Regionals. The team set a single-game school record with six home runs in a 12-0 (5) win over the Hokies. Lexi Overstreet hit a two-run homer in the sixth against Lipscomb to punch UT's ticket to Supers. The Lady Vols battled hard in Norman Super Regional, bouncing back from an 8-1 Game 1 loss with a 4-0 Game 2 victory. However the Sooners ended Tennessee's season for the second-straight year in Game 3 of the Super Regional.
- The Big Orange hit .313 as a team in 2014 and its leading returning hitter is Annie Aldrete (.361 BA, 19 HRs, 65 RBIs). UT's pitching staff posted a 2.32 combined ERA last season. Rainey Gaffin posted a 1.15 ERA with a 7-3 record over 20 appearances.
- UT returns five positional starters and three pitchers from last year's staff, including All-American catcher Annie Aldrete, who tie the program record with 19 homers in 2014.
- UT has 10 returning veterans and eight newcomers, including junior transfer pitcher Gretchen Aucoin.
- SEC coaches picked Tennessee to finish eighth in the conference in the league's annual preseason poll.
- Tennessee is 12-7 all-time in season openers and 10-3 under the direction of the Weeklys in the first game of the year.
- UT is 3-0 all-time against Ohio. The teams last played on March 7, 2010, in Knoxville with Tennessee taking a 5-1 win. UT has outscored the Bobcats by an all-time margin of 19-1.
- The Lady Vols will face Dayton for the first time ever.
- Saturday's game against Kennesaw State and Sunday's game against Northern Kentucky will also be the first time the Lady Vols have faced those schools.
OHIO
- Ohio went 32-26 in 2014, a season that ended in the NCAA Lexington Regional.
- The Bobcats return some of their top offensive players from last year, including Amanda Dalton (.318 BA, 22 runs, 11 SBs) and Adrienne Gebele (.296 BA, nine homers, 27 RBIs, 12 doubles).
- Ohio returns its ace in Savannah Jo Dorsey, who went 25-18 with a 2.37 ERA and 298 strikeouts last year.
DAYTON
- Dayton went 27-29 last year and returns senior slugger Tiffany Ricks (.375 BA, 12 homers, 44 RBIs) and Gabrielle Snyder (.370 BA, four homers, eight doubles, 18 RBIs).
- Dayton's pitchers combined for a 5.19 ERA and gave up 47 home runs in 56 games.
KENNESAW STATE
- Kennesaw State went 24-29 in 2014 and return four of its top five hitters in Natalie Rhodes (.346 BA), Taylor Denton (.344 BA), Kara Chambers (.311 BA) and Courtney Sutter (.295 BA).
- The Owls will look for someone to fill the shoes of 2014 ace Amanda Henderson, who went 18-10 with a 2.56 ERA and 205 Ks. Paige Matthews is KSU's most experienced returner as she went 5-15 with a 4.02 ERA and 92 strikeouts last year.
- Tennessee alum Cat Hosfield Fritts is Kennesaw State's assistant coach and works primarily with infield, pitching and recruiting.
NORTHERN KENTUCKY
- Northern Kentucky went 5-45 last year and will look to replace its top hitter in Dee Dee Davis, who led the team in batting average (.285, homers (seven) and RBIs (25).
- The Norse pitching staff combined for an 8.43 ERA in 2014.
KSU CLASSIC: FEB. 6 - 11 a.m. ET
Series History
VS.
Bailey Park
Kennesaw, Ga.
All-Time: Tennessee, 3-0
Series History:
3/1/97 UT W, 8-0 (6)
3/5/10 UT W, 6-0
3/7/10 UT W, 5-1
Series History:
3/1/97 UT W, 8-0 (6)
3/5/10 UT W, 6-0
3/7/10 UT W, 5-1
Friday, Feb. 6
11 a.m. ET
Notes
WP -
LP -
LP -
Tennessee is 12-7 all-time in season openers.
KSU CLASSIC: FEB. 6 - 3 p.m. ET
Series History
VS.
Bailey Park
Kennesaw, Ga.
All-Time: Never played
Series History:
Series History:
KSU CLASSIC: FEB. 7 - 3 p.m. ET
Series History
AT
Bailey Park
Kennesaw, Ga.
All-Time: Never played
Series History (Last 3):
Series History (Last 3):
VS.
Bailey Park
Kennesaw, Ga.
All-Time: Never played
Series History:
Series History:
Players Mentioned
C/IF
/ Softball
IF/P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C
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