“The name of this game is fast-pitch, not fast-run, fast-throw or fast-hit,” Tennessee co-head coach Ralph Weekly said following his team’s 11-7 loss to Mississippi State Sunday.
The No. 4 Lady Vols softball team dropped two of their three games against the Bulldogs this weekend at Lee Stadium.
The Tennessee coaching staff was unhappy with their team’s pitching in the game Sunday after allowing seven runs in the sixth inning, effectively sealing the game for the Bulldogs.
Senior ace Ellen Renfroe, who boasted a 23-4 record with a 1.72 ERA coming into Sunday’s game, gave up seven earned runs in what was her worst outing of the year.
“In the four years that she has been here, 95 percent of the time Ellen takes the mound, she is ready to go,” Weekly said. “Maybe she just had a bad day like we all have when we go to work. I don’t know. It wasn’t the Ellen that we are used to seeing.”
Renfroe pitched in all three games this weekend including a complete game Friday where the Lady Vols failed to score for the first time this season in a 2-0 loss.
The seven runs given up in the sixth inning could not have come at a worse time for Tennessee as they had just clawed back in the previous inning from a 4-1 deficit to take a one run lead, helped by a solo home run by senior Madison Shipman.
Shipman also added her third home run of the series in the sixth inning, trying to lead the comeback for her team as she has done all season.
“I like to be that person that (teammates say), ‘Maddie’s still having good at bats, and we can all do it,'” Shipman said. “I like to give our team that hope that we can come through and win this ball game. It didn’t end up working as well today.”
Shipman’s first home run came as a part of a school record-tying five home runs in an 11-5 win for Tennessee on Saturday.
Mississippi State head coach Vann Stuedeman was particularly impressed by Shipman’s performance this weekend.
“We put her on every opportunity, and every opportunity that we did throw to her, she hit a home run,” Studeman said after Sunday’s game. “We got her out one time yesterday and every other time we threw to her, she hit a home run, or we just walked her.”
The Bulldogs were jubilated after taking two games on the road from Tennessee, singing their school fight song with a group of traveling supporters after Sunday’s win.
“It’s gut-wrenching in this conference,” Stuedeman said. “This conference is loaded with talented players and talented coaches. This was a typical Sunday game in the SEC … That’s what a Sunday in the SEC is, it’s tough, fight, grit, heart and swagger. You’ve just got to go out there and be confident and fight, and I thought both teams did that today.”
Tennessee will be back in action at home on Tuesday at 6 p.m. to face Furman.
