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Tennessee was stunned by Oklahoma on Thursday when the Women’s College World Series began. The Lady Vols took all their frustrations out on the Gators early in Friday’s elimination game.
Thanks to a 7-run opening inning, Tennessee (46-16) blasted Florida 11-3 to stay alive in Oklahoma City. The run-rule victory also sent Florida (48-17) home.
Tennessee notched a program-record 12 hits in the victory. They had a 7-0 lead after the first inning and stretched that to a 10-0 advantage going into the fourth. Florida got on the board in the top of the fourth but just couldn’t keep the Vols’ hitters off balance at any point in the game.
Every Tennessee batter recorded at least 1 hit. Florida struck out just 3 all game. Sophia Nugent, Laura Mealer, and Alannah Leach all had multiple hits. Leach led the way with 4 runs batted in. Her bases-clearing double in the bottom of the first scored 3 UT runs. Nugent and McKenna Gibson hit solo home runs in consecutive plate appearances in the second.
Karlyn Pickens got the start in the circle for Tennessee, but a 7-0 lead allowed for an early change to begin the second and some much-needed rest. Sage Mardjetko lasted 2 innings before being replaced by Erin Nuwer. Mardjetko gave up 2 hits and 3 earned runs. Pickens and Nuwer combined to allow just 1 hit with 4 strikeouts. Nuwer was credited with the victory.
Kara Hammock faced just 4 batters before Florida replaced her. She gave up a leadoff triple on the second pitch of the game, then allowed a single down the left field line on the very next pitch. The loss was just her second of the year.
Reagan Walsh and Korbe Otis homered on back-to-back plate appearances in the fourth to score Florida’s only runs of the game.
The Lady Vols will face the loser of Texas Tech and UCLA on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on ABC.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
