University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
1-0
Howard
0-1
#12 Lady Vols Flex Offensive Muscle, Score 30 Runs on Opening Day
February 11, 2023 | Softball
McKenna Gibson and Zaida Puni totaled 16 RBIs over the two games as Gibson went 3-for-4 with a pair of home runs and six runs batted in. Puni was 5-for-7 at the plate, smashing two homers and driving in 10 runs. Gibson scored three runs of her own, while Puni tallied five.
In the circle, Payton Gottshall and Ashley Rogers started against Howard (0-1) and Illinois (1-1), respectively. Making her Tennessee debut, Gottshall tossed three innings of no-hit-shutout-ball – notching six strikeouts in the run-rule win over Howard.
Rogers picked up the victory versus Illinois, tossing five innings and surrendering two runs off a two-run home run. The Athens, Tennessee, native struck out five to help the Lady Vols improve to 2-0 on the first day of the season.
GAME ONE: #12 TENNESSEE 21, HOWARD 1
In UT's opening game of the season against Howard, it pushed across 21 runs as it run-ruled the Bison to notch the five-inning victory. It is the most runs scored by Tennessee in a game since it defeated Weber State 21-2 on Feb. 20, 2010.
Eight Lady Vols combined for 12 hits on the night, led by Puni who went 3-for-4 with two home runs, eight RBIs and four runs scored. Gibson was 2-for-2 with a pair of runs, two RBIs and a homer.
Freshman Amanda Ahlin come on in the third inning and picked up two hits, scored twice and drove in three runs off a triple into the right-centerfield gap.
Including Gottshall and Ahlin, several Lady Vols made their Tennessee debut against Howard. They are: Mackenzie Donihoo, Taylor Pannell, Brylee Mesusan, Jamison Brockenbrough, Camryn Sarvis, Destiny Rodriguez, Jenna Mosley, Giulia Koutsoyanopulos, Jackie Kirkpatrick and Karlyn Pickens.
GAME TWO: #12 TENNESSEE 9, ILLINOIS 2
In the nightcap, UT had to battle back after Illinois took a two-run lead off of a Kelly Ryono two-run home run in the fourth inning. The lead did not last long as Tennessee plated two runs in the bottom half of the inning to tie the score.
With two runners on, Brockenbrough reached on a fielder's choice to second, driving in Mesusan from third for UT's first run of the game. One batter later, Rodriguez hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Pannell to level the contest.
The Lady Vols added a pair of runs in the fifth thanks to a Puni single to short to score Taylor and an RBI ground out from Gibson that allowed Ahlin to come home.
UT put up five runs in the fifth, in large part due to Gibson's three-run blast to right, giving Tennessee its final margin of victory.
UP NEXT
Tennessee plays two more games on Saturday, beginning at 4 p.m. ET against South Alabama. The Lady Vols are then set to play No. 6 Texas at 6:30 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Gottshall, Payton (1-0)
L: GONZALES,Mia (0-1)
Batting:
2B: DENNIS,Kalita 1
RBI: DENNIS,Kalita 1
Base Running:
RUNS: JORDAN,Maryn 1
Batting:
2B: Donihoo, Mackenzie 1
3B: Ahlin, Amanda 1
HR: Puni, Zaida 2 ; Gibson, McKenna 1
RBI: Ahlin, Amanda 3 ; West, Rylie 1 ; Puni, Zaida 8 ; Gibson, McKenna 2 ; Pannell, Taylor 2 ; Brockenbrough, Jamison 1 ; Rodriguez, Destiny 1 ; Mosley, Jenna 1 ; Kirkpatrick, Jackie 1
SF: Gibson, McKenna 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Milloy, Kiki 2 ; Donihoo, Mackenzie 2 ; Ahlin, Amanda 2 ; West, Rylie 1 ; Goodloe, Shakara 1 ; Taylor, Katie 2 ; Puni, Zaida 4 ; Gibson, McKenna 2 ; Pannell, Taylor 1 ; Mesusan, Brylee 1 ; Sarvis, Camryn 1 ; Mosley, Jenna 1 ; Kirkpatrick, Jackie 1
SB: Milloy, Kiki 2 ; Ahlin, Amanda 1
HBP: Milloy, Kiki 1 ; Taylor, Katie 1 ; Gibson, McKenna 1 ; Brockenbrough, Jamison 1 ; Kirkpatrick, Jackie 1
