#9 Softball Surges Past SC, 9- 1 (5)

Sunday, March 15

Columbia, S.C.

1:00 PM

University of Tennessee

19-5, 1-2

South Carolina

20-9, 2-4

Tennessee

South Carolina

March 15, 2015 | Softball

Box Score

March 15, 2015

Box Score

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Gretchen Aucoin hit a two-run homer and Erin Gabriel threw four solid innings to lead No. 9 Tennessee a 9-1, five-inning win over South Carolina on Sunday in Game 3 of their season series.

The Lady Vols (19-5, 1-2 SEC) scored four in the first inning and five in the second. South Carolina (20-9, 2-4 SEC) scored its lone run in the first inning.

Aucoin's home run was her third of the weekend and fourth of the season. She also drew two walks. Annie Aldrete, Rainey Gaffin and Lexi Overstreet each had a hit and two RBIs.

Gabriel improved to 9-2 with the win, throwing four innings and striking out four while allowing one run. Gaffin struck out three in a scoreless fifth inning.

South Carolina starter Hayley Copeland (0-1) took the loss after allowing four runs over one inning. Julie Sarratt gave up five runs in two-thirds of an inning. Nickie Blue had five strikeouts and threw 3.1 scoreless relief frames.

Aucoin gave Tennessee a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning when she crushed a 2-2 pitch from Copeland over the wall in center field for a two-run bomb. Four batters later, Overstreet knocked a two-out, two-RBI single to right field, plating Taylor Koenig and Aldrete and pushing UT's lead to 4-0.

The Gamecocks answered with one run in the bottom of the first when Kaylea Snaer hit a two-out RBI single to left field.

UT stretched its lead to 9-1 in the second inning. After SC subbed in Game 2 starter Sarratt in the circle, Megan Geer ripped a two-out RBI double to left center. Aldrete delivered three batters later with the bases loaded, hammering a 1-1 pitch off of Sarratt to left center for a two-RBI double. The Gamecocks subbed in Game 1 starter Blue and Gaffin knocked a two-RBI triple down the right field line.

Tennessee returns to Sherri Parker Lee Stadium to host Western Kentucky on Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET. That game will feature a live audio broadcast on WNML 990 AM and UTSports.com. UT will host its first SEC home series of the season against Missouri from March 20-22.