Doubly difficult conclusion to Lady Vols' softball season

Jacksonville State turned the lights out on Tennessee's softball season Sunday afternoon.

The feisty Gamecocks out-fought the Lady Vols on their home turf at Lee Stadium, scoring 6-1 and 2-1 victories in this NCAA Regional to advance to the Super Regionals in Tuscaloosa, Ala., later this week.

"Nobody quit, they all played hard,'' UT co-head coach Ralph Weekly said. "But we should have won this regional, and we didn't. I don't know how to say it any other way.''

The Lady Vols, the NCAA tournament's No. 13 overall seed, finish the season 40-18-1 on a decidedly down note.

JSU (42-15), meanwhile, rolls on, "living the dream,'' as their jubilant players said in the postgame. It is the school's first Division I regional title in any sport.

The Gamecocks warmed up for UT by beating Nebraska 4-1 in an elimination game that started at 11:30 Sunday morning.

They kept their bats going in their first game against the Lady Vols when freshman Meredith Sellers drilled a two-run homer off UT starter Cat Hosfield (28-13) to go up 2-0 in the second inning.

Tennessee turned to sophomore Ashton Ward in the circle to keep them in the game, and Ward responded with 22<0x2044>3 innings of no-hit relief.

Freshman Jessica Spigner wasn't as fortunate when she took the mound. The Gamecocks struck for four in the sixth inning to make it 6-0. Despite out-hitting Jacksonville State 8-6, Tennessee managed only to scratch out one run in the seventh off starter Karla Pittman (18-3).

The stage was set for an intense finale.

The Lady Vols came out swinging, scoring on Tiffany Huff's first-inning sacrifice fly for a quick 1-0 lead.

UT loaded the bases in the second inning, forcing the Gamecocks to go to the bullpen for Ashley Eliasson (18-7).

Eliasson, who pitched a complete game in the Sunday morning win over Nebraska, induced Lillian Hammond to pop-up and end the second-inning threat.

The momentum shifted, and JSU rode that wave.

The Gamecocks tied the game 1-1 off senior reliever Danielle Pieroni (8-3) with a two-out double in the fourth.

Pieroni, who threw 52<0x2044>3 innings of one-run relief in Saturday's win over Nebraska, had taken over for Hosfield at the start of the third inning of the decisive game.

Pieroni lost the handle on her movement pitches at the start of the fifth, walking the first two batters.

Weekly brought Hosfield back in the game, hoping the freshman could find a way out of the jam.

Hosfield recorded two quick outs off grounders, but with runners on first and third, Jackie Jarman delivered a run-scoring single to put the Gamecocks up 2-1.

Hosfield held strong for the game's remainder, but the UT offense came up empty.

Erinn Webb, who didn't play the first game Sunday because of an injury suffered when she ran into the wall catching a fly Saturday, struck out looking with a runner on second and two outs in the fifth.

A Kelly Grieve walk was all UT managed in the seventh.

The Gamecocks stormed the field as the Lady Vols retired to their dugout with stunned looks.

"I'm a little in shock,'' Huff said. "I think all of us are.''

Not Weekly.

"This was a big learning experience for our young team,'' said Weekly, who started four freshmen and two sophomores. "Jacksonville State is a team that comes right at you; they almost beat Alabama in the regionals last year (4-1). Today they were the best team on the field.''

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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