Vols Sweep On Senior Day (UT Athletics)
It took extra innings, but the third-ranked Lady Vols triumphed over No. 24 Kentucky, 8-7, on Saturday at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium as both teams wrapped up the regular season.
Tennessee (40-9, 19-5 SEC) won a back-and-forth senior day contest thanks to a Taylor Pannell walk-off solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning. The long ball was Pannell's seventh of the season.
The scoring onslaught began early as Kiki Milloy opened the game with her 12th home run of the season. Pannell – who finished the game 3-for-5 with a run scored and three RBIs – drove in UT's second run later in the first with an RBI single.
Kentucky (30-21, 8-16 SEC) bounced back in the second as Peyton Plotts hit a two-run home run to center.
Tennessee retook the lead with a pair of runs in the second as McKenna Gibson knocked in an RBI double followed by a Rylie West sacrifice fly.
An error in the fourth and another Pannell RBI single plated two runs before Destiny Rodriguez drove in a third run on a ground out to second – extending the Lady Vols' lead to 7-2.
The Wildcats clawed back in the fifth with a pair of two-run home runs to cut their deficit to one before scoring one run in the sixth on a wild pitch to tie the game at 7-7.
That set the stage for Pannell to club her walk-off home run in the home half of the eighth inning – sending Tennessee home with the 8-7 victory.
Senior Ryleigh White got the start on senior day, tossing 1.1 innings. She allowed two runs on two hits with a walk. She was relieved in the second by Payton Gottshall who pitched 3.1 frames. The graduate scattered three hits with two strikeouts and a walk – allowing two runs.
Sophomore Karlyn Pickens come on in relief of Gottshall in the fifth – giving up three runs on five hits over 3.1 innings of work. The righty walked one with four strikeouts en route to her 19th victory of the year.
Stephanie Schoonover started for UK in the circle – tossing two innings and allowing four runs on five hits with three walks and a strikeout. Jaden Vickers gave up three runs – one earned – on four hits over 1.1 frames after relieving Schoonover to start the third inning.
Alexia Lacatena finished the contest as she threw four innings – giving up just one run on four hits with a walk and a strikeout.
UP NEXT
The Lady Vols will play on Thursday, May 9 at the 2024 SEC Softball Tournament hosted by Auburn.