Tennessee softball had the bats working Thursday as it downed Kentucky, 8-3.
The No. 3 Lady Vols (38-9, 17-5 SEC) slugged their way to a win over the No. 24 Wildcats (30-19, 8-14) thanks in part to the long ball. Tennessee started its last series of the regular season on a high note.
“I think all week we just talked about, you know, coming out and attacking them,” head coach Karen Weekly said. “Just really meaning it. We’ve got to come out and let go of pressures and fears and doubts and anything like that and just play ball.”
It was a smooth top of the first inning for Karlyn Pickens as she set down the side in order, tallying her first strikeout to end the frame. Tennessee was able to draw two walks in their half of the inning but couldn’t capitalize. Kiki Milloy’s leadoff walk was short-lived as she became the first out after leaving first base early.
After another clean top half from Pickens, the Lady Vols proceeded to load the bases in the second inning thanks to a Sophia Nugent leadoff single, a hit-by-pitch and a walk. They couldn’t plate a run as Laura Mealer and Milloy were retired consecutively.
The Wildcats broke into the hit and run column in the third inning, scoring one run off of a two-out double from Erin Coffel. Pickens walked the next batter to load the bases but was able to escape the jam. Tennessee failed to answer in the bottom half.
Kentucky barreled up some balls in the fourth inning but couldn’t muster a hit, partly thanks to an impressive catch from Taylor Pannell robbing any chance of extra bases.
Tennessee finally broke through with two outs when Milloy singled to left to score Jackie Kirkpatrick. Zaida Puni immediately followed with a single of her own, this time on a high pop-fly that was lost among three Wildcat defenders in shallow right field, bringing home two more runs. It was a much needed break that went the Lady Vols’ way.
In the fifth inning, Kentucky kept the pressure on with a lead-off single, followed by a Lauryn Borzilleri two-run homer, ending Pickens’ day in the circle for Tennessee. Payton Gottshall entered in relief and immediately gave up a double but fought back to retire the next three Wildcats in clutch fashion.
“She just gives us so much energy and confidence in the box,” Pannell said. “We have so much confidence in her, and she’s just so amazing. When she brings energy, we know she can do it. It’s just so fun to watch her out there.”
The back-and-forth drama continued as Rylie West drove a solo homer to regain the lead for Tennessee. Nugent followed accordingly with a solo shot of her own to extend the lead to two, knocking Kentucky’s Stephanie Schoonover out of the game. The Lady Vols looked to pile on after a Destiny Rodriguez double set up two more runners in scoring position but to no avail.
“I really think it was just us being more committed to the pitches we wanted to hit,” Weekly said. “When Rylie West turned on that, I mean you could just tell when it hit her bat. They have a plan and they’re really committed to it — they’re going to square a ball up.”
Gottshall continued her dominance in the Kentucky half of the sixth, retiring three consecutive batters. Pannell continued her big day, this time at the plate, when she launched a three-run shot to blow the game open for Tennessee. The late-game offense, and the long ball, continued to come up big.
Kentucky led off the seventh inning with a base hit, but Gottshall battled back, forcing a pop-out from the next batter. She came back from a 3-0 count to strike out the following Wildcat. She finished it off with a groundout to second to put the dagger in Kentucky.
“Pressure is a privilege,” Weekly said. “We’re where we are because we put ourselves there, and we should be proud of that. And we should really embrace the fact that most teams in the country, right now, this weekend, aren’t playing for a conference championship. We’re one of the few in that position ,so, hey, let’s take advantage of the pressure that comes with that because it’s the same thing we’re going to feel when we get out here for regionals and supers.”
