Offense Carries #3/4 Lady Vols to Sweep of #12/14 Florida

Monday, April 24

Knoxville, Tenn.

7 p.m.

University of Tennessee

38-5, 16-2

Florida

32-14, 8-10

Florida

Tennessee

Offense Carries #3/4 Lady Vols to Sweep of #12/14 Florida

April 24, 2023 | Softball

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The third-ranked Lady Vol softball team erased a four-run deficit to sweep the 12th-ranked Gators Monday night at Sherri Lee Parker Stadium – taking game three of the series, 10-6.

The victory marks UT's first sweep of Florida since 2014.

Tennessee (38-5, 16-2 SEC) rode its offense all series and continued to rely on the bats Monday night. The Lady Vols scattered 13 hits in the win, led by senior Zaida Puni, juniors Rylie West and Giulia Koutsoyanopulos and sophomore Katie Taylor who all had two apiece.

West's bat was hot all series, accumulating two homers and nine RBIs over the three games against the Gators. On Monday night, she went 2-for-4 at the plate with a three-run home run in the fifth to put UT up 10-6.

Like it did on Sunday, Florida (32-14, 8-10 SEC) opened the scoring in the first inning as it strung together three straight singles to push a run across the plate.

The Lady Vols responded in the bottom half of the inning as senior Kiki Milloy singled through the left side and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Sophomore McKenna Gibson then belted a single into right center, sending Milloy racing home to tie the game at one.

The Gators pushed across four runs in the second thanks to a solo home run and a three-run shot by Emily Wilkie and Skylar Wallace – giving Florida a 5-1 lead.

Tennessee cut into the four-run deficit with three runs in the second inning. After a pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases for Lair Beautae, she roped a two-run single through the middle infield to plate a pair of runs. After a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases, Junior Zaida Puni drew a walk to bring in another run, making it a 5-4 ballgame after two innings.

In the fourth, the Big Orange scored three runs on four hits to jump in front of the Gators. With the bases loaded, Florida's Reagan Walsh misplayed a ball that allowed two runs to score. Freshman Jamison Brockenbrough added insurance with an RBI single, giving the Lady Vols a 7-5 lead.

Florida narrowed Tennessee's lead to one run in the fifth as Echols smacked a solo homer over the wall in center.

UT put the game away in the fifth thanks to West's third homer of the season and second in the series – a three-run blast – extending Tennessee's lead to four.

Freshman Karlyn Pickens started in the circle for the second consecutive night, tossing one inning, allowing five runs on as many hits and striking out one.

Senior Payton Gottshall relieved her teammate in the second and pitched the final six innings. Gottshall allowed one run on three hits and fanned five. She earned the win and moved to 11-0 on the year. The victory was the right-hander's second in the series after earning the win on Saturday.

The Massillion, Ohio, native also picked up a save in UT's game two win over Florida on Sunday night.

For the weekend, Gottshall threw 9.2 innings, struck out eight, walked one and allowed just two runs on five hits.

Righty Lexie Delbrey was the opening pitcher for Florida, hurling 2.2 innings, allowing four runs on five hits and fanning two. Rylee Trlicek replaced Delbrey, throwing the next 2.1 innings and surrendered six runs on seven hits. Trlicek took the loss and is 11-3 on the year.

Elizabeth Hightower came out of the bullpen in the top of the sixth, tossing one inning and allowing one hit.

UP NEXT
The Lady Vols will make the trip down to Fayetteville, Arkansas, to square off against the Razorbacks Saturday through Monday, April 29-May 1. The first two games will be televised on ESPNU, with the series finale airing on SEC Network.