University of Tennessee Athletics
Friday, May 12
Fayetteville, Ark.
6:30 PM
University of Tennessee
43-8
7
vs
6
No. 5 Seed Alabama
40-18
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Alabama
4
0
0
0
2
0
0
6
7
0
Tennessee
4
1
0
2
0
0
X
7
5
0
Three Home Runs Power #4 Lady Vols Into SEC Tournament Title Game
May 13, 2023 | Softball
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The fourth-ranked and No. 1-seeded Lady Vols knocked off fifth-seeded Alabama Friday night at Bogle Park, 7-6, in the second SEC Tournament semifinal on the strength of three home runs.
The win sends Tennessee (43-8) to its fourth appearance in the SEC Tournament final and its first since 2015 – it previously won the tournament title in 2006 and 2011.
Down 4-0 after the top half of the first, the Lady Vols worked their two-out magic as McKenna Gibson roped a double followed by back-to-back walks to load the bases for Lair Beautae. The sophomore second baseman then tied the game with one swing, launching a grand slam and her fourth home run of the season over the wall in left-center.
Kiki Milloy put UT ahead in the second inning with a solo homer – her 23rd of 2023. The long ball was the senior's second of the day after she clubbed a two-run home run in Tennessee's first game against Florida.
Sophomore Katie Taylor provided the insurance in the fourth with a two-run blast to center, putting the Lady Vols up 7-4. The big fly was Taylor's third of the year.
Alabama (40-18) did not go quietly as Ashley Prange hit a two-run shot to bring the Tide to within a run at 7-6 in the fifth inning.
Pitching in relief, senior Payton Gottshall held the lead and retired the side in the sixth and seventh. The righty came on in the first inning after starter Karlyn Pickens surrendered four runs without recording an out.
Gottshall struck out five and walked one in seven innings of work, allowing just two runs on five hits. The Massillon, Ohio, native is now 12-1 on the year.
Alabama started Alex Salter in the circle, tossing two innings and allowing five runs on three hits. She was replaced by Jaaia Torrence who tossed 3.1 frames. Torrence gave up a pair of runs on two hits. Lauren Esman replaced her and threw just 0.2 innings and recorded one strikeout.
Salter took the loss and is 6-4 this season.
Larissa Preuitt led the Tide at the plate, going a 2-for-4 with two runs scored. The Tide scattered seven hits on the night as a team.
For Tennessee, it is the third time it has rallied to win after trailing by four or more runs this season.
UP NEXT
Tennessee will face South Carolina on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET in the SEC Tournament final. The game will air nationally on ESPN.
The win sends Tennessee (43-8) to its fourth appearance in the SEC Tournament final and its first since 2015 – it previously won the tournament title in 2006 and 2011.
Down 4-0 after the top half of the first, the Lady Vols worked their two-out magic as McKenna Gibson roped a double followed by back-to-back walks to load the bases for Lair Beautae. The sophomore second baseman then tied the game with one swing, launching a grand slam and her fourth home run of the season over the wall in left-center.
Kiki Milloy put UT ahead in the second inning with a solo homer – her 23rd of 2023. The long ball was the senior's second of the day after she clubbed a two-run home run in Tennessee's first game against Florida.
Sophomore Katie Taylor provided the insurance in the fourth with a two-run blast to center, putting the Lady Vols up 7-4. The big fly was Taylor's third of the year.
Alabama (40-18) did not go quietly as Ashley Prange hit a two-run shot to bring the Tide to within a run at 7-6 in the fifth inning.
Pitching in relief, senior Payton Gottshall held the lead and retired the side in the sixth and seventh. The righty came on in the first inning after starter Karlyn Pickens surrendered four runs without recording an out.
Gottshall struck out five and walked one in seven innings of work, allowing just two runs on five hits. The Massillon, Ohio, native is now 12-1 on the year.
Alabama started Alex Salter in the circle, tossing two innings and allowing five runs on three hits. She was replaced by Jaaia Torrence who tossed 3.1 frames. Torrence gave up a pair of runs on two hits. Lauren Esman replaced her and threw just 0.2 innings and recorded one strikeout.
Salter took the loss and is 6-4 this season.
Larissa Preuitt led the Tide at the plate, going a 2-for-4 with two runs scored. The Tide scattered seven hits on the night as a team.
For Tennessee, it is the third time it has rallied to win after trailing by four or more runs this season.
UP NEXT
Tennessee will face South Carolina on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET in the SEC Tournament final. The game will air nationally on ESPN.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Gottshall, Payton (12-1)
L: Alex Salter (6-4)
Batting:
HR: Ashley Prange 1
RBI: Ashley Prange 2 ; Bailey Dowling 1 ; Emma Broadfoot 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jenna Johnson 1 ; Larissa Preuitt 2 ; Ashley Prange 2 ; Bailey Dowling 1
SB: Kristen White 1
Batting:
2B: Gibson, McKenna 1
HR: Milloy, Kiki 1 ; Beautae, Lair 1 ; Taylor, Katie 1
RBI: Milloy, Kiki 1 ; Beautae, Lair 4 ; Taylor, Katie 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Milloy, Kiki 1 ; Gibson, McKenna 1 ; West, Rylie 1 ; Donihoo, Mackenzie 1 ; Beautae, Lair 1 ; Brockenbrough, Jamison 1 ; Taylor, Katie 1
SB: Mesusan, Brylee 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
4
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballSB | Tennessee Postgame vs. Nebraska (5.25.25)
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Friday, May 23
SB | Tennessee Postgame vs. Ohio State (5.18.25)
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