It was almost a year to the day that an LSU team playing the role of spoiler came into Knoxville and bumped hosting-Tennessee from the SEC Tournament in a 6-2 upset victory.
On Thursday, the No. 4-seeded Lady Vols (45-11, 14-10 SEC) returned the favor behind dominant pitching from sophomore Caylan Arnold and a run in the first inning for a 1-0 SEC Tournament quarterfinal win in Columbia, MO.
The win marks the fourth time this season that Tennessee has beaten the Tigers (41-14, 13-10 SEC), having swept them in a three-game series in mid-April.
The story of the day for both teams was pitching, as LSU’s senior ace Allie Walljasper combined with Arnold to put on a show from the circle, holding both sides to a combined seven hits, one run and five strikeouts.
In the end, it was Arnold (24-4) and Tennessee who would come out on top, putting together a complete seven-inning performance and holding the Tigers scoreless for her 14th shutout victory this season.
“I have just taken on the mindset of just throw,” Arnold said. “The first meeting that Karen (Weekly) had with us out on the mound was ‘the Caylan I know just goes out there and throws and she’s successful,’ and that’s what I did.”
The Lady Vols’ lone run came in the bottom half of the first inning when senior shortstop Meghan Gregg doubled to right field to notch her 67th RBI of the season, bringing in a run from junior second baseman Aubrey Leach.
“We’ve really put emphasis on doing our job,” Leach said. “My job is to get on. Meghan’s job is to get people in and so, when we take care of our jobs first, we help the team.”
With such a small margin for error, all it would take is one big swing from LSU to either tie or take the lead, and the Tigers made several attempts to do so, the closest coming in the top of the seventh when Elyse Thornhill took a shot to the wall in center field.
Fortunately for Tennessee, potential crisis was averted thanks to senior center fielder CJ McClain, who leaped up to snag the ball for the second out of the inning.
In a fitting finish, the final out of the game came when LSU’s Amber Serrett popped the ball up between the home plate and the circle, which came down right into the glove of Arnold to secure the win.
“Karen (Weekly) always gets on to me and says I need to be more aggressive in the circle,” Arnold said. “I always want to let my defense work, but I said I’m the closest one to it and I’m going to take it to finish the game.”
The Lady Vols will return to the SEC tournament semifinals for the first time since 2016. Tennessee will face No. 1-seed Florida on Friday at 5:30 p.m., with the game to be broadcast on ESPNU.
