Geathers' Walk-Off HR Gives #12 UT 4-1 Win

Sunday, May 3

Knoxville, Tenn.

1:00 PM

University of Tennessee

39-13, 0

#21 Kentucky

29-23, 0

Kentucky

Tennessee

May 03, 2015 | Softball

Box Score

May 3, 2015

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***NOTE: Updated to include 2015 SEC Tournament information***

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Shaliyah Geathers smashed a three-run, walk-off home run to give No. 12 Tennessee a 4-1 victory over No. 21 Kentucky on Sunday and the series sweep.

With the game tied at 1-1 in the bottom of the seventh, Scarlet McSwain was hit by a pitch to open the inning and two batters later Rainey Gaffin ripped a single through the right side. With one out and runners on the corners, Geathers drilled a 1-0 pitch from UK reliever Meagan Prince to center field for her fourth blast of the season. Geathers' game-winner gave Tennessee its third SEC series sweep on the year.

***Following LSU's win over Auburn on Sunday, Tennessee is now the No. 5 seed in the 2015 SEC Tournament, which runs May 6-9 at Tiger Park in Baton Rouge, La. The Lady Vols will face the Wildcats (No. 12 seed) once again in the tournament's first round on May 6 at 6:30 p.m. CT/7:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network.***

Before Sunday's game, Tennessee celebrated Senior Day, honoring seniors Tory Lewis and Cheyanne Tarango with a special on-field ceremony. UT also honored Kentucky's seniors, Kara Howard and Griffin Joiner, and Tennessee team managers Melissa Brown and Rachel Coleman.

After trailing 1-0 through the first three and a half frames, the Lady Vols evened the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth thanks to a solo home run by Annie Aldrete. Geathers' three-run homer in the seventh marked Tennessee's second-straight win by a walk-off home run. Aldrete crushed a two-run bomb on Saturday to lift UT to a 6-5 win.

Gaffin went 2-for-3 in the victory, wrapping a strong week at the plate in which she hit .667 (6-for-9) with a pair of doubles and a pair of runs scored. Geathers had six RBIs on the week.

Gaffin (12-2) also earned the win in the circle after tossing two scoreless frames. Starter Erin Gabriel recorded five strikeouts over three innings with one run allowed. Gretchen Aucoin faced one batter in the fourth without recording an out. Tarango shut out the Wildcats in the fourth and the fifth innings.

Prince (12-8) took the loss after allowing three runs over 2.1 frames. UK starter Kelsey Nunley allowed one run over 4.0 innings.

Kentucky took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Griffin Joiner hit a two-out solo homer to left field off of Gabriel. The Wildcats loaded bases after back-to-back players hit by a pitch, but Gabriel got out of the jam when she sent Howard down swinging.

Aldrete evened the game at 1-1 when she hit a leadoff home run in the bottom of the fourth. Aldrete sent the first pitch she saw soaring over the wall in straightaway center field for her 15th blast of the season. Four batters later, Tarango was hit by a pitch for the 35th time in her UT career, setting a new Tennessee record.

Geathers' home run in the seventh was her third in SEC play. With two home runs on Sunday, Tennessee extended its program-record total to 92 blasts on the year. UT is averaging one home run every 14.5 at-bats and one extra-base hit every 7.6 at-bats.