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#9 TENNESSEE SOFTBALL REBOUNDS FROM LOSS TO TAKE SERIES AT ARKANSAS, 2-0
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – On
Sunday afternoon at Bogle Park in Fayetteville, Ark., the #9 Tennessee
Lady Vol softball squad (19-6, 3-3 Southeastern Conference) got a solo
HR from junior second baseman Lauren Gibson, a RBI triple from junior
right fielder Kat Dotson and another three-hit shutout from sophomore
pitcher Ellen Renfroe in topping Arkansas (18-9, 2-6 SEC), 2-0.
Junior
third baseman Raven Chavanne (2-for-3) and senior catcher Ashley
Andrews (2-for-3, run) each recorded two of Tennessee’s eight total
hits in the match-up. Gibson’s HR was her team-leading eighth of
the campaign, while Dotson was 1-for-4 with the RBI triple.
Sophomore shortstop Madison Shipman was 1-for-2 with two intentional
walks while freshman designated player Cheyanne Tarango was 1-for-3.
Renfroe
walked two and struck out eight during her 13th complete game effort
and 11th solo shutout of the campaign. The 6-0 right hander also
improved her season mark to 14-1 overall and 3-1 in SEC action.
Tennessee
managed a pair of base runners in the top of the first but left a pair
stranded on the bags. Chavanne started off the frame by beating
out an infield single and quickly swiped second to reach scoring
position. With one retired the Arkansas coaching staff made the
decision to intentionally walk Shipman, and the move paid off as an
infield pop-up and a fly ball concluded the threat with no damage.
The
Razorbacks got off to a promising start of their own in the bottom of
the first as third baseman Chloe Oprzedek laced a shot down into the
right field corner for a one-out triple. Shortstop Clarisa
Navarro bounced a ball to the left of Chavanne at third, but UT’s
Thousand Oaks, Calif., native managed to corral the sphere on the way
by. She pivoted quickly and fired a strike to the plate as
catcher Andrews applied the tag to keep UA off the board. Renfroe
ended the once promising Arkansas threat by catching designated player
Sierra Bronkey looking at strike three.
Singles from both
Tarango and Andrews granted the Big Orange another scoring opportunity
in the top of the second, but again the big hit just wouldn’t
materialize. Chavanne blasted a promising shot deep into the
outfield, but it was caught near the warning track as the Lady Vols’
left stranded count expanded to four over the opening two
frames.
Renfroe settled things down from the
circle in the bottom of the third. The Jackson, Tenn., product
posted back-to-back strikeouts of center fielder Tori Mort and left
fielder Devon Wallace before getting a slow roller to second to end the
quick half-inning.
The Big Orange finally got on the board in
the top of the fourth as Gibson blasted her eighth HR of the campaign
via a solo shot out of Bogle Park for a 1-0 lead.
Beginning
the top of the fifth, a dropped throw at first base allowed UT’s
Andrews to reach safely. A perfect bunt off Chavanne’s bat placed
a pair of speedsters on the base paths with still no one retired.
Unfortunately, back-to-back strikeouts and a pop-up back to Arkansas
starting pitcher Chelsea Cohen in the circle left the duo where they
stood.
A one-out walk by UA catcher Jayme Gee in the bottom of
the fifth ended a string of nine consecutive Razorbacks retired by
Renfroe. The free pass didn’t matter, however, as the Lady Vol
pitcher eventually struck out the side, recording K’s of first baseman
Megan Pearson, second baseman Maddie Reese and Mort to up her total to
seven over the initial five frames.
Arkansas left fielder Devon
Wallace christened the bottom of the sixth with a promising blooper
into right center. Newly entered into the match-up for her
defensive prowess, sophomore center fielder Tory Lewis raced over from
her defensive position and slid to make a terrific “web gem” basket
catch, keeping the Razorback lead-off hitter from reaching. From
there Renfroe induced consecutive ground balls from Oprzedek and
Navarro to maintain UT’s tenuous one-run advantage heading into the
final inning.
The Big Orange got some valuable insurance on
the scoreboard in the top of the seventh, and it all started with a
lead-off base knock from Andrews. A passed ball on Arkansas’
catcher Gee and a sac bunt by Chavanne moved Andrews within 60 feet of
pay dirt. The Tumwater, Wash., native was soon cashed in on a RBI
triple off the bat of Dotson as Tennessee improved its lead to 2-0.
Bronkey
kept UA hopes alive in the bottom of the seventh by blooping a lead-off
single just in front of Baker in left field. Once Geile followed
with a base knock just under Renfroe’s glove and through the middle of
the infield, the Razorbacks had the potential winning run at the plate
with still none retired. Pearson lifted a shot into right center
field that was tracked down on the run by junior Whitney Hammond for
the first out. Gee grounded to Shipman at short and then Renfroe
completed the contest in style by posting her eight strikeout as
Tennessee took the series, two-games-to-one.
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