A record six home runs helped propel the No. 10 Lady Vols softball team to the Regional Finals in a 12-0 shutout of Virginia Tech

Freshman Annie Aldrete crushed her 18th and 19th home runs against the Hokies, which matches the Tennessee all-time home run record for one season, a record set by Lauren Gibson last season.

The Lady Vols starting catcher, who is one of ten finalists for the NFCA Freshman of the Year, opened the scoring in the top of first inning with a two run homer into the parking lot at Lee Stadium.

In the second inning, fellow freshman Megan Geer added her fifth home run of the season while Aldrete made it two home runs in her first two at-bats with a solo shot over the left field scoreboard to give Tennessee a 6-0 lead

Aldrete has now hit 11 home runs in her last 15 games, including three in her first two NCAA Tournament games and has had four multi-home run games this season.

“I was just trying to stay focused,” Aldrete said. “Especially with long at-bats, you can’t take a pitch off, you can’t take an at-bat off. That’s basically the mentality of our whole team, so I’m glad I could get it done.”

The third inning saw a trio of home runs from sophomores Lexi Overstreet and Rainey Gaffin and senior Madison Shipman hit her 18th of the season to break the UT record of round-trippers in a single game.

Saturday’s game was the third time the Lady Vols have hit at least five home runs in a game this season after only accomplishing it once previously in team history. They also broke the record for total home runs in a season earlier this year.

“We might have hit a little more (home runs) than I anticipated,” co-head coach Karen Weekly said, “but I saw the potential for it. We knew this was the kind of team we needed to be to be successful because we certainly aren’t a speed team.”

Virginia Tech starting pitcher Maggie Tyler, who gave up half of the home runs, was disappointed in her performance, but knew she ran into an elite hitting team that was in form.

“They were hitting good pitches,” Tyler said. “I did catch them on a pretty good day, I could say that, but teams like this don’t have room to blame it on that. You have to come out with your best game.”

For the Lady Vols in the circle, senior Ellen Renfroe was also on her game, giving up just two hits and two walks to go along with four strikeouts in a complete five inning shutout

“Her energy today was fantastic,” Geer said. “She was smiling and pumping everyone up, so it’s easy to feed off of as a fielder. Even in the outfield, you can feel it.”

Renfroe’s outing pleased the coaching staff with a return to her form that she displayed when starting the season with a 21-0 record

“This was vintage Ellen,” Weekly said. “Ellen Renfroe was at her best against a very good hitting Virginia Tech team. She pitched a phenomenal game.”

The Lady Vols will return to action tomorrow at 2 p.m. where they will face either Lipscomb, Charleston Southern, or Virginia Tech for a chance to move on to the Super Regionals.