OKLAHOMA CITY -- Shaliyah Geathers and Cheyanne Tarango had big RBI hits late in the game, but Tennessee's seventh Women's College World Series appearance concluded on Saturday with a 4-2 loss to Auburn in Game 7 at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium-OGE Energy Field.
Tennessee (47-17) scored runs in the fourth inning and fifth inning but could not overcome Auburn's (55-10) four-run third.
Auburn broke through with four runs in the top of the third. The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third when Haley Fagan hit a two-out single to third base on a slow hopper down the line, scoring Kasey Cooper for the first run. Carlee Wallace followed with a two-run double to right center. After Cheyanne Tarango replaced UT starter Erin Gabriel in the circle, Jade Rhodes hit a RBI double down the left field line to give Auburn a 4-0 advantage.
Tennessee got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth when Shaliyah Geathers hit an RBI double to left center. Scarlet McSwain hit a leadoff single to center field and two batters Rainey Gaffin reached on a fielder's choice. Geathers drilled a 3-1 pitch off of Auburn starter Lexi Davis to left center and Gaffin motored around the bases to score Tennessee's first run. The double was Geathers' 12th on the season.
The Lady Vols refused to quit, loading the bases and scoring another run in the bottom of the fifth to pull to within to 4-2. Meghan Gregg reached on an error by the pitcher and Lexi Overstreet singled to right field to open the inning. After a double play on a flyout to right with Overstreet getting picked off at first, Annie Aldrete knocked a two-out single to center field. McSwain was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Tarango came through with an RBI single through the right side to plate Gregg.
Tennessee concludes an outstanding 2015 season in which the Lady Vols made their seventh Women's College World Series appearance and posted their sixth-straight season with 45 wins or more (14th overall). UT also smashed the team's single-season home run record with 100 blasts this year. Gaffin was named Tennessee's 14th NFCA All-American (31st selection) and Erin Gabriel was tabbed UT's 13th Academic All-American (23rd selection).