Rogers Tosses Gem, #3/4 Lady Vols Win in Extras

Friday, March 31

Bryan-College Station, Texas

6 PM

University of Tennessee

28-2, 0

Texas A&M

21-12, 0

Tennessee

Texas A&M

April 01, 2023 | Softball

Box Score Box Score

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – It was a pitcher's duel Friday night at Davis Diamond as the third-ranked Lady Vols and 21st-ranked Aggies played extra innings in game one of their three-game series, with UT emerging victorious 2-1 in 10 innings.

For Tennessee (28-2, 9-1 SEC), it was the first time it played extra innings this season while Texas A&M (21-12, 4-6 SEC) has now played two extra-inning ballgames.

The game was scoreless through nine before UT broke through with a pair of runs in the top of the 10th. Sophomore Katie Taylor led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on a Kiki Milloy single to right.

With two away, junior Zaida Puni reached on an error by Texas A&M's shortstop who was unable to field a hot shot cleanly. That allowed Taylor and Milloy to score – putting Tennessee up 2-0.

In the home half of the inning, Allie Enright led off with a single to center – breaking up Tennessee pitcher Ashley Rogers' no-hitter. The game then went into an hour and 20-minute weather delay as rain and lightning swept through the area.

The game resumed with Rogers coming back out to the pitcher's circle and getting a fly out and ground out before a wild pitch allowed Enright – who had advanced to third on the outs – to score and cut the lead to one.

Rogers then surrendered a walk which sent head coach Karen Weekly calling for Karlyn Pickens out of the bullpen. Pickens gave up a single to put two Aggies on base but bounced back and got a fly out to end the game and pick up her second save of the season.

For Rogers, she tossed 9.2 innings en route to her 11th victory of the season. The graduate struck out 11 and allowed just one run on one hit. In the second and sixth innings, she battled out of bases-loaded jams to keep the game scoreless.

Emily Leavitt got the start for the Aggies, throwing 4.2 innings with seven strikeouts a walk and one hit allowed. Shaylee Ackerman came on in relief and finished the night, going 5.2 innings with three strikeouts and a pair of walks. She allowed both Tennessee runs and gave three hits.

Ackerman took the loss and is now 5-5 this season.

UP NEXT
Tennessee and Texas A&M will play game two of the series on Saturday with first pitch set for 2 p.m. ET. The game will air on SEC Network with Pam Ward (play-by-play) and Jenny Dalton-Hill (analyst) calling the action. Fans can listen to the Voice of Lady Vol Softball Brian Rice on AM990 or through UTSports.com.