University of Tennessee Athletics
Sunday, April 16
Lexington, Ky.
2 PM
University of Tennessee
34-5, 13-2
15
at
1
Kentucky
25-13-1, 7-8
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
E
Tennessee
3
3
0
4
5
15
13
1
Kentucky
0
0
0
1
0
1
1
1
Gibson Hits Two Three-Run Home Runs, #6/7 Lady Vols Run-Rule #16/17 Kentucky, 15-1
April 16, 2023 | Softball
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Sophomore McKenna Gibson crushed a pair of three-run home runs Sunday at John Cropp Stadium as the sixth-ranked Lady Vols run-ruled #16 Kentucky, 15-1, to sweep the three-game series.
On the weekend, Gibson went 5-for-10 (.500) at the plate with five runs scored, three three-run home runs and 10 RBIs. She had a 1.500 slugging percentage and a 2.000 OPS.
Senior Kiki Milloy matched Gibson with a pair of solo homers on Sunday, belting her 17th and 18th home runs of the year. She also had three big flies in the series, hitting a solo shot on Saturday.
As a team, Tennessee (34-5, 13-2 SEC) has hit 50 home runs this season – led by Milloy's 18 and Gibson's 13.
UT wasted no time getting on the board Sunday as Milloy hit a leadoff homer in the top of the first to open the scoring. The Big Orange tacked on two more runs in the frame to take a quick 3-0 lead.
Gibson's first three-run bomb came in the second inning – pushing Tennessee's lead out to six runs. In the fourth, the Santa Clarita, California, native made it 9-0 with her second three-run shot of the game.
Mackenzie Donihoo pushed one more run across the plate in the fourth on a sacrifice fly – putting the Lady Vols up 10-0.
Kentucky (25-13-1, 7-8 SEC) got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth thanks to a Grace Lorsung sac fly that plated Vanessa Nesby. Nesby reached base on a leadoff triple that broke up Tennessee starter Payton Gottshall's no-hit bid.
Not letting up, UT poured it on in the fifth – scoring five runs in the frame. Milloy led off with a solo bomb to right before Tennessee loaded up the bases with nobody out. Rylie West brought home two runs on a single, followed by Giulia Koutsoyanopulos plating a run on a sacrifice fly.
Shortstop Mackenzie Donihoo then doubled to right to score West and give UT its final margin of victory at 15-1.
Gottshall then returned to the pitcher's circle and sat the Wildcats down in order to end the game. The senior righty tossed a one-hit complete game with one walk and seven strikeouts. The win moves her to 9-0 on the year.
UK used four pitchers on Sunday with Alexia Lacatena getting the start and suffering the loss. She drops to 9-5 in 2023.
BOO-TASTIC
McKenna Gibson – nicknamed Boo – had an unreal week at the plate in Tennessee's four games. Starting with UT's win Tuesday night at Virginia Tech, the first baseman went 7-for-13 (.538) at the plate with four three-run home runs, 13 RBIs, seven runs scored, a 1.538 slugging percentage and a 2.101 OPS.
UP NEXT
Tennessee returns home Tuesday to play host to Kennesaw State starting at 5 p.m. ET. The game can be streamed on SECN+ through Watch ESPN.
On the weekend, Gibson went 5-for-10 (.500) at the plate with five runs scored, three three-run home runs and 10 RBIs. She had a 1.500 slugging percentage and a 2.000 OPS.
Senior Kiki Milloy matched Gibson with a pair of solo homers on Sunday, belting her 17th and 18th home runs of the year. She also had three big flies in the series, hitting a solo shot on Saturday.
As a team, Tennessee (34-5, 13-2 SEC) has hit 50 home runs this season – led by Milloy's 18 and Gibson's 13.
UT wasted no time getting on the board Sunday as Milloy hit a leadoff homer in the top of the first to open the scoring. The Big Orange tacked on two more runs in the frame to take a quick 3-0 lead.
Gibson's first three-run bomb came in the second inning – pushing Tennessee's lead out to six runs. In the fourth, the Santa Clarita, California, native made it 9-0 with her second three-run shot of the game.
Mackenzie Donihoo pushed one more run across the plate in the fourth on a sacrifice fly – putting the Lady Vols up 10-0.
Kentucky (25-13-1, 7-8 SEC) got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth thanks to a Grace Lorsung sac fly that plated Vanessa Nesby. Nesby reached base on a leadoff triple that broke up Tennessee starter Payton Gottshall's no-hit bid.
Not letting up, UT poured it on in the fifth – scoring five runs in the frame. Milloy led off with a solo bomb to right before Tennessee loaded up the bases with nobody out. Rylie West brought home two runs on a single, followed by Giulia Koutsoyanopulos plating a run on a sacrifice fly.
Shortstop Mackenzie Donihoo then doubled to right to score West and give UT its final margin of victory at 15-1.
Gottshall then returned to the pitcher's circle and sat the Wildcats down in order to end the game. The senior righty tossed a one-hit complete game with one walk and seven strikeouts. The win moves her to 9-0 on the year.
UK used four pitchers on Sunday with Alexia Lacatena getting the start and suffering the loss. She drops to 9-5 in 2023.
BOO-TASTIC
McKenna Gibson – nicknamed Boo – had an unreal week at the plate in Tennessee's four games. Starting with UT's win Tuesday night at Virginia Tech, the first baseman went 7-for-13 (.538) at the plate with four three-run home runs, 13 RBIs, seven runs scored, a 1.538 slugging percentage and a 2.101 OPS.
UP NEXT
Tennessee returns home Tuesday to play host to Kennesaw State starting at 5 p.m. ET. The game can be streamed on SECN+ through Watch ESPN.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Gottshall, Payton (9-0)
L: Lacatena, A (9-5)
Batting:
2B: Gibson, McKenna 1 ; Donihoo, Mackenzie 1 ; Taylor, Katie 1
HR: Milloy, Kiki 2 ; Gibson, McKenna 2
RBI: Milloy, Kiki 2 ; Gibson, McKenna 6 ; Puni, Zaida 1 ; West, Rylie 3 ; Koutsoyanopulos, Giulia 1 ; Donihoo, Mackenzie 2
SF: West, Rylie 1 ; Koutsoyanopulos, Giulia 1 ; Donihoo, Mackenzie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Milloy, Kiki 3 ; Beautae, Lair 3 ; Mosley, Jenna 1 ; Gibson, McKenna 3 ; Brockenbrough, Jamison 1 ; Puni, Zaida 1 ; Goodloe, Shakara 1 ; West, Rylie 1 ; Ahlin, Amanda 1
HBP: Taylor, Katie 1
Batting:
3B: Nesby, V 1
RBI: Lorsung, G 1
SF: Lorsung, G 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nesby, V 1
HBP: Coffel, E 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
3
H
4
RBI
6
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
1
AB
3
R
3
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
INF/OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF/1B
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C/OF
/ SoftballSB | Tennessee Postgame vs. Nebraska (5.25.25)
Sunday, May 25
SB | Tennessee Postgame vs. Nebraska (5.24.25)
Saturday, May 24
SB | Tennessee Postgame vs. Nebraska (5.23.25)
Friday, May 23
SB | Tennessee Postgame vs. Ohio State (5.18.25)
Sunday, May 18
