Maddi Rutan can do both.
The two-way player continued to roll on the mound against Florida Atlantic while the No. 3 Lady Vols steamrolled their way to an 8-0 win in run-rule fashion to continue their early-season seven-game winning streak.
Rutan posted four innings of shutout ball while Tennessee’s (7-0) offense played small-ball early to help the team jump ahead.
Sophia Knight continued to fill the leadoff role for the team, starting her day with a single. She followed it up with two steals, positioning her at third base. Gabby Leach kept things rolling with a walk, and some heads-up base running came into play after a throwing error scored Knight.
After Elsa Morrison’s at-bat resulted in a fielder’s choice, Leach crossed home plate to put the Lady Vols up 2-0 early.
The Owls tacked on their first two hits of the afternoon after Destiny Johns and Madison Inscoe singled. Both stayed stranded on base after Rutan escaped the jam with no runs allowed.
Along with starting the game in the circle, Rutan hit in the lineup as the designated player. She began the bottom of the second with a walk, but her group went quietly in the rest of the stanza.
Both teams had trouble finding gaps in the third inning, as Florida Atlantic and the Lady Vols both were set down in order. Rutan continued to roll through four innings and once again reached base after she was plunked by a pitch.
With the bases loaded for Tennessee in the fourth, Mackenzie Butt scored on an RBI walk. Knight kept things moving with a single that scored another run, and Leach finished things off with a sacrifice fly. Leach’s RBI gave the Lady Vols a 5-0 lead as the team continued to capitalize on its chances.
By the top of the fifth, Karlyn Pickens came on to finish the game with a five-run lead. While Pickens did allow a single, she struck out a batter and escaped a mini rally with no damage.
Alannah Leach took a big swing in the bottom half, blasting a homer down the right field line to make things 7-0. Pickens made quick work of the Owls before turning it over to the Lady Vols’ offense.
After a Leach and Morrison single, Ella Dodge finished the game with an RBI single.
The challenges continue for the Lady Vols in the second game of their doubleheader when they face off against No. 7 UCLA.
