KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – No. 9 Tennessee run-ruled Tennessee State for the second time on Wednesday as Kaitlin Parsons notched three hits, including an inside-the-park home run to lead the Lady Vols to a 15-2 win to cap the doubleheader and final midweek game of the regular season at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.
UT (36-10, 11-7 SEC) rode a balanced offensive attack (15 hits from nine different batters) and ace pitching (10 strikeouts by Ashley Rogers) to a second-consecutive run-rule victory over Tennessee State. It marked the Lady Vols’ 99th straight win over an in-state opponent dating back to 2000.
The Big Orange recorded four steals in the game, tying the highest steal count this season which was recorded on April 16 at ETSU. It also marked the third time this season UT recorded three or more steals in back-to-back games. It’s the second time this year that Tennessee notched consecutive outings with 10+ strikeouts.
In the first inning, senior Aubrey Leach drew a walk to get on base and then advanced to second on a steal. She moved to third on a groundout by Kaitlin Parsons before junior Chelsea Seggern homered to center field, giving the Lady Vols a 2-0 lead.
Tennessee took a 3-0 lead in the second inning of a Jenna Holcomb single. Ashley Morgan had led off the frame with a double to center field and advanced to third on a groundout before Holcomb hit her home.
The bats remained steady for the Lady Vols in the bottom of the third as Parsons recorded her first hit of the game, singling to left field. She then stole second base for her second swipe of the doubleheader. Two at-bats later, Madison Pacini reached base on an error by TSU’s third baseman before Amanda Ayala hit a two-RBI single to center. Rogers then drew a walk to load the bases prior to Hannon’s RBI-groundout to second that gave UT a 6-0 lead. Immediately following the out, Holcomb hit a 2-RBI knock to center. The junior then scored on a single by Aubrey Leach that also allowed the second baseman to score as the Tigers’ right fielder committed an error that allowed her to round the bases and score, pushing UT’s lead to 10-0.
Just like the Lady Vols’ offense, Rogers didn’t miss a beat in the circle. She didn’t allow a hit in the top of the fourth frame and struck out three consecutive batters who all went down swinging.
In the bottom of the inning, Katie Weimer entered the lineup and singled to shortstop in her first at-bat. After an Ayala flyout, Rogers then hit a one-bagger to shortstop before Hannon singled to right field, bringing Weimer home. Rogers then scored on a Holcomb groundout. In the next at-bat, Leach hit an RBI-double to left field to give UT a commanding, 13-0, lead. Parsons extended the advantage by two as she continued her hot streak in the doubleheader. She notched her third hit of the game on an inside-the-park home run down the left field line with a runner on, making the score 15-0 in Tennessee’s favor.
Leach took over in the circle in the top of the fifth inning, making her first-career appearance as a pitcher. She walked two batters and threw two strikes in the outing before giving up two runs on a single and an error. Rogers reentered from second base and recorded two more strikeouts to close out the game.
HOT WHEELS: Freshman Kaitlin Parsons became the first Lady Vol since Lindsay Schutzler to hit an inside-the-park home run. Schutzler knocked an inside-the-park two-run homer in the sixth inning vs. Arkansas on March 24th that season. On Wednesday, Parsons hit her own inside-the-parker down the left-field line in the fourth inning to push UT to 15 runs in the game. Parsons was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI in the outing.
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