Weekly impressed by Rhodes

The 2008 version of the Tennessee Lady Vols softball team finished 6-0 at the annual Tennessee Lady Vol Fall Classic last weekend at the new Sherri Parker Lee Softball Stadium. The Lady Vols outscored the opposition 57-3 and four games were called after five innings.

The Lady Vols defeated Milligan 12-1 in five innings, Volunteer State 12-0 in five innings, Western Kentucky 6-1, Chipola College 8-0 in six innings, Methodist 17-1 in five innings, and Walters State 2-0.

Returning senior pitcher Megan Rhodes picked up three victories while striking out 13 and 12, respectively, in wins over Division I-A opponent Western Kentucky and Chipola College, the defending National Junior College champions. She also pitched against Walters State in relief to combine with junior Danielle Pieroni on a one-hit shutout and 14 strikeouts. Pieroni allowed one run and two hits and struck out seven against Milligan.

Freshman Ashton Ward made her debut and had victories over Volunteer State and Methodist. Against Vol State, Ward pitched a one-hit shutout with six strikeouts. She gave up one run on a single with nine strikeouts against Methodist.

The offense was led by senior catcher Shannon Doepking who hit .462 (6-of-13) with two home runs and seven RBIs. Junior outfielder Lillian Hammond hit .600 (9-of-15) to join with freshmen Chandra Mogan (7-10, .700, 5 RBIs) and Kelly Grieve (6-14, .429) as productive hitters at the top of the lineup.

Senior first baseman Tonya Callahan was 2-for-3 in each of two games against Western Kentucky and Walters State. Sophomore utility player Anita Manuma was 2-for-3 with a two-run homer against Chipola and 2-for-2 with 2 RBIs against Methodist. Hammond was 3-for-3 against Vol State and again against Methodist, while Mogan was 3-for-4 with five RBIs against Methodist. Doepking homered against Milligan and Walters State. Lapicki was 4-for-6 against Milligan and Vol State.

“This tournament gave both she (co-head coach Karen Weekly) and I the valuable opportunity to really evaluate our team outside the constraints of the practice field,” Lady Vols co-head coach Ralph Weekly said. “I was really pleased with the pitching of Megan Rhodes during the weekend. She threw even better than she has in the past. Freshman Ashton Ward and junior Danielle Pieroni also provided us with some great innings of work from the circle.

“All of our freshmen played exceptionally well with Chandra Mogan, Kelly Grieve and Jennifer Lapicki on base for our squad all weekend. Grieve, Mogan and Kelsey Stander (injured) as well as returnees Lillian Hammond and Kenora Posey will provide us with a lot of options from the left side of the plate with their offensive abilities and overall speed. Tonya Callahan and Shannon Doepking performed really well this weekend in the RBI slots in our line-up. Lapicki, Doepking, Callahan, Erinn Webb, Nicole Kajitani and Tiffany Huff, who is soon to return from off-season surgery, will give us the potential for solid power throughout the lineup.”

Tennessee will officially christen its 2008 regular-season Feb. 8 in Cathedral City, Calif., when it plays Utah State in the Cathedral City Kickoff at Big League Dreams Sports Park.