Tennessee showed it wasn't intimidated by two-time defending SEC champion Florida by scoring three runs in the top of the first inning.
The No. 1-ranked Gators showed the Lady Vols why they should have been, responding with four runs in the bottom of the first and four more in the second of an SEC tournament semifinal game at Lee Stadium.
The Gators hit three consecutive home runs at one point en route to an 11-3 five-inning victory Friday night.
"We scored three runs on them and they didn't even looked fazed,'' UT freshman Jessica Spigner said. "They are the epitome of what a great team is.''
UT (38-16-1), No. 13 in the RPI ratings, will learn Sunday if it will be one of the 16 sites selected for the four-team NCAA Regionals for a fifth consecutive year.
Florida (54-3) plays No. 3-ranked Alabama (47-8) at 1:30 today (TV: FSS) in the championship game. The Gators have won 20 straight, the Tide has won 14 in a row. The teams met in last year's championship game with Florida winning 4-1.
The Gators took two of three from Alabama this season, run-ruling the Tide 9-1 and 10-1 on March 28 before Bama won 6-4 the next day.
That was the last time the Gators trailed in an SEC game until the Lady Vols put up three runs to open the game.
Jen Lapicki drove in the first by drilling a line drive through the glove of Florida third baseman Corrie Brooks. Erinn Webb followed with a two-run double.
The Gators cut the deficit against UT freshman Cat Hosfield (28-12) when Ali Gardiner hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the inning.
The Lady Vols nearly escaped the first with the lead, but Webb missed a diving attempt along the right field line, resulting in a run-scoring triple. Another Florida single made it 4-3 before Hosfield retired the side.
The Gators made a pitching change to start the second, pulling starter Stephanie Brombacher in favor of SEC pitcher of the year Stacey Nelson (34-3).
The Lady Vols loaded the bases, but Lapicki bounced out to end the inning.
Sophomore pitcher Ashton Ward started the second for UT, but she couldn't finish it after Florida blasted three consecutive home runs - Francesca Enea, Kelsey Bruder and Brooks - making it 8-3. Senior Danielle Pieroni came in to retire the final out.
Pieroni was pulled after giving up two singles and unleashing a wild pitch to start the third. Hosfield re-entered and retired the side, but not before the Gators added another run.
Florida scored in every inning with Bruder's two-out RBI double in the fifth serving as the final blow that brought the eight-run rule into effect.
"We come out and score three runs in the first inning against a team that gave up 41 (runs) all year, then our pitching gives it away,'' UT co-head coach Ralph Weekly said. "This ain't gonna continue into next year. I'm going to get it fixed.''
© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Comments » 11
BillVol writes:
Is it just me, or are we not as good since Monica left?
02champs#209256 writes:
wow....we now have a 4000-plus stadium for what reason..???...We can't get but 844 for the #3 ranked team in the country...!! Time to move em back to Tyson Park when the players actually gave a damn..
02champs#209256 writes:
Don't sit on your laurels, lady vols....Mike (The Hatchett) Hamilton is getting ready to take over the WHOLE Athletic Department...You heard it here first..8-)
02champs#209256 writes:
Monica was it, evidently...I had no idea either that she was the whole program..our recruiting is sub-par...plus, we're relying on a great FRESHMAN pitcher (Cat), but we need MUCH more obviously....but it still kills me to see this kind of money thrown at this program.
allabouttennessee writes:
We have a TEAM of freshmen out there playing. No freshman pitcher in the country is doing as well as ours. Florida has 7 seniors, they have run ruled every team they have played at least once. NOBODY has a Monica Abbott. This team , with all the freshmen still has a final RPI that ranks 13th in the nation. We have had a winning season.
teampenny#658108 writes:
Only one other school has two AD's. Do not see why UT needs two. A waste of money for sure. But to be honest I am not real happy with Mike Hamilton. He wasted millions on PF, made bad baseball hire, we have APR troubles and has hired a lightning rod for a football coach. Now we also are having money problems to all under his watch. Maybe we should not fire him-but nothing to be happy about either, Go Vols
littleorange writes:
Pitching is woeful......cannot compete at the elite level with this staff. It is up to Ralph and Karen. Recruit or coach them up!
vol4good#206163 writes:
Excellent Post. Most people never see the positives. I would like to post one more, Cat is still hurting from the ankle injuries as well. Yet, she continued to give her ALL for Tennessee! Thats all I ever want. GO VOLS!
pammyvol1000 writes:
Like Pat's young team... this team will come around. Experience will make them better next year.
cobbwebb writes:
this team is loaded with young talent! i am proud of this team! they will be ok! cut them some slack! to the goon who wonders why we throw so much money at this program, i wonder why we throw so much at a 5-7 football program?
nuff said!
rclarkfork#639958 writes:
And I'm sure he will get it fixed.
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