Vols Outlast LSU in Back-and-Forth Affair

Friday, April 21

Baton Rouge, La.

7:00 PM

University of Tennessee

40-5, 12-3

#16/16 LSU

33-13, 8-8

Tennessee

LSU

April 21, 2017 | Softball

Box Score

April 21, 2017

Box Score

BATON ROUGE, La. -- No. 9 Tennessee outlasted No. 16 LSU for a 6-3 victory in a back-and-forth affair to extend its nation-leading win streak to 19 straight games on Friday night at Tiger Park.

Meghan Gregg went 3-for-3 with a walk and an RBI while Scarlet McSwain scored a pair of runs and chipped in two hits, including a solo home run in the second inning to spark the Volunteers' offense. Gregg's three-hit performance was her fifth of the season.

Brooke Vines drove in the game's first run and extended her on-base streak to 20 consecutive games with a walk in the seventh inning. Megan Geer also came up big with two RBIs after hitting a clutch, two-run single in the top of the seventh to give UT some breathing room.

Matty Moss made her 18th start of the season and tossed her 10th complete game, giving up three runs with only two of them being earned. She also had eight strikeouts on the night and improved to 21-1 on the season.

The Big Orange (40-5, 12-3 SEC) jumped out to an early lead after loading the bases with no outs in the first inning. Aubrey Leach reached on a four-pitch walk before Jenna Holcomb and Gregg singled to pack the bases full of Vols. Vines drove in Leach with a sacrifice fly to left field, but that was all UT could muster in the frame despite having four players reach base.

The Tigers (33-13, 8-8 SEC) responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the first to take a 2-1 lead. Shemiah Sanchez hit a soft grounder towards second base for an infield single to score Emily Griggs. The ball got away on the throw to first base allowing Savannah Jaquish to score as well.

It didn't take long for Tennessee to tie the game back up as McSwain hit a moonshot home run to left field to lead off the second inning. It was McSwain's six homer of the year, which ranks second on the team behind Gregg's nine.

An RBI double by Constance Quinn gave LSU the lead back in the bottom of the third. Bailey Landry led off the inning with an infield single and scored all the way from first on Quinn's double to the gap in left center to make it 3-2.

The Vols answered with two runs in the fourth to take their second lead of the game. A throwing error by Sanchez at third base on a hard-hit ground ball by CJ McClain allowed McSwain to score and tie the game at three before Gregg drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs to give UT a 4-3 advantage. Unfortunately, Tennessee was unable to extend its lead as Hoover got Vines to ground out to end the inning and strand the bases loaded for the second time in the game.

UT got its insurance when Geer extended the lead to three with a clutch, two-run single in the top of the seventh after the Vols loaded the bases for the third time in the game. The California native lined a 1-1 pitch to left center to score Holcomb and pinch runner Sheridan Allen.

Carly Hoover got the loss for LSU after giving up six runs on eight hits and issuing six walks in six innings of work. Quinn and Sanchez led the offense with a hit and an RBI each but it wasn't enough to keep the Tigers from losing their fifth straight SEC game.

WIN STREAK AT 19: With tonight's win the Tennessee win streak is at 19 games, which is tied for the fourth longest in program history. The Vols also won 19 straight in the 2011 and 2013 seasons.

SUCCESS VS. RANKED FOES: Tennessee kept another streak going with Friday's win, extending its win streak over ranked opponents to 11 straight. The Orange and White are now 12-3 on the year against ranked foes.

McSWAIN PROVIDES A SPARK: Scarlet McSwain provided a spark offensively for the Volunteers, going 2-for-3 with two runs and a solo home run that briefly tied the game in the second inning. McSwain is tied for second on the team with two homers and 11 RBIs in conference play this season.

UP NEXT: The Vols and Tigers square off in Game 2 of this weekend's series tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m. ET. Watch the game live on SEC Network +/WatchESPN or listen live on UTSports.com.