Down 5-0, Lady Vols top MTSU in dramatic fashion

Jessica Spigner hit a two-run double in the bottom of the seventh inning to complete a 6-5 come-from-behind victory over Middle Tennessee State (5-15) on Wednesday night at Lee Softball Stadium.

Trailing 5-0, UT scored a run in the fifth on a single by Kelly Grieve.

Spigner hit a two-run home run in the sixth for her team-leading 11th of the season, to cut the deficit to 5-3.

With two outs in the seventh, Grieve hustled to beat out an infield single. Ashley Andrews followed with a single just over shortstop Brittney Banania’s glove. With two strikes, Tiffany Huff delivered an RBI-single to center to score Grieve and make it 5-4.

With runners on first and second, Spigner's low liner landed just over the third base bag and headed down into the corner. Andrews scored easily to tie the game. On the throw to the plate, catcher Laurie Anna Cooley collided with Huff in an attempt to keep her from scoring, but the runner was ruled safe.

Freshman Cat Hosfield was not sharp for the No. 6 Lady Vols (24-3), allowing five runs on five hits in 3 1/3 innings and struck out four. However, senior Danielle Pieroni (4-0) pitched 3 2/3 innings of one-hit ball.

Huff had two hits to extend her hitting streak to 16 games and Grieve had three hits.

“I will take full responsibility for the team not being prepared to play tonight,” Lady Vols co-head coach Ralph Weekly said. “We know that we are better than we showed in the early innings. Despite that, Karen (co-head coach Weekly) and I are very proud of the character and fight our squad demonstrated by coming back from a 5-0 deficit to win for the second time in two weeks. Middle Tennessee is a much improved ballclub and played flawless softball tonight.”