Lady Vols don't have enough swing

ATHENS, Ga. - By the time the Tennessee softball team found its offense Saturday, the late-afternoon shadows were creeping across the field and Georgia was well on its way to its second win.

Failing to score a run for the first 12 innings of a doubleheader against the Bulldogs, the Lady Vols were swept in a doubleheader at the UGA Softball Complex, losing 1-0 and 6-2. Tennessee had not lost both games of a doubleheader since falling to top-ranked Florida on March 21.

With a spot in the SEC tournament already set, No. 15 Tennessee has just four conference games to solidify its seed. The Lady Vols came into Saturday's doubleheader a game ahead of LSU and in fourth in the conference standings.

"Every game affects seeding (for the SEC tournament) at this point," UT co-head coach Karen Weekly said. "Plus we'd like to get some momentum heading into the postseason."

Tennessee (36-13-1, 11-10-1 SEC) also came into its series against No. 8 Georgia with one of the most consistent offenses - first in the conference in hits and tied for second in batting average.

That consistency all but vanished against the Bulldogs.

"We just weren't as aggressive as we were supposed to be," said junior Erinn Webb, who drove in Tennessee's only two runs with a two-run homer in the fifth inning of Game 2. "We knew they were a good team and we knew it was going to be a challenge."

The Lady Vols dropped the first game to the Bulldogs despite giving up just two hits.

Cat Hosfield (27-10) started for Tennessee, going 2 2/3 innings and giving up two hits and the game's lone run. That run came off the bat of Georgia's Kristin Schnake, who hit her first home run of the season in the third inning.

Danielle Pieroni and Ashton Ward combined to pitch the last 3 1/3 innings for the Lady Vols, allowing no hits and just two base runners.

"We didn't compete early on," Weekly said. "When the bell rings at (1 p.m.), you have to be ready to deliver the blow. We talked about that but we didn't have enough people doing it."

The Lady Vols only hit came from Jessica Spigner, who led off the second inning with a single. Georgia's Christie Hamilton faced just two batters over the minimum. Both of those runners reached scoring position before being stranded.

"I think we just took too many pitches," Weekly said. "Their pitchers are good. We knew that coming in. You can't stand in there waiting for the perfect pitch."

The Game 1 loss marked the first loss to Georgia in eight games.

The Bulldogs wasted no time in jumping on the Lady Vols in Game 2 with a pair of solo home runs off Ward (3-2) in the first and another in the third - the second of the game by Alisa Goler.

Tennessee used three pitchers again in the second game, "because nobody had great command," said Weekly.