The past weekend was a success for No. 12 Tennessee softball. The Lady Vols swept a three-game series over Auburn.
The Tigers dropped to 27-14 overall and 7-8 in the Southeastern Conference. The Lady Vols are now 31-9-1 overall and 8-6-1 in the SEC.
In Friday's game, the Lady Vols took an early lead in the bottom of the first inning that began with Kelly Grieve bunting a single and then stealing second and third base. Loree first name? then threw a wild pitch that allowed Grieve to run home for the first point on the board.
"Every win is a big win in the SEC race," said Tennessee co-head coach Karen Weekly. "I thought it was key for us that we scored early."
Pitcher Jenee Loree (11-6) took the loss for Auburn to fall. Loree gave up five runs (four earned) on six hits in 2.1 innings. Loree walked four and struck out two.
In the third inning Holly Ragsdale relieved Loree to pitch the final innings. She allowed only two hits and struck out one.
Cat Hosfield, pitcher for the Vols, earned the win and improved to 22-8. Hosfield gave up two runs (one earned) on six hits, with three walks and seven strikeouts.
The Tigers got on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth and scored once more in the seventh, but were unable to come back as Tennessee took the game, 5-2.
The games continued Saturday when Auburn faced Tennessee in a double-header in Knoxville.
The Lady Vols won the series' second game 2-1 in 11 innings, despite a 175-pitch performance from Auburn pitcher Anna Thompson.
Tennessee's Danielle Pieroni had a one-out, RBI single in the bottom of the 11th that allowed Ashley Andrews to score from third, which gave Tennessee the win.
Thompson took the loss to fall to 13-8. In 10.1 innings, Thompson allowed two earned runs on nine hits, with three walks and 12 strikeouts.
Cat Hosfield earned the win to improve to 23-8 for UT. In the last two innings, Hosfield allowed just one hit with two strikeouts.
To complete the double-header Saturday, Tennessee came back to win, 3-2, when Lady Vol Nicole Kajtani had two RBIs in the seventh.
Loree took the loss in game two to fall to 11-7. Loree allowed three earned runs on seven hits in 6.1 innings. Loree walked four and struck out five.
Hosfield earned the win in game two for UT. Hosfield improved to 24-8 after giving up two earned runs on six hits, with one walk and seven strikeouts.
"These were two very tough, hard-fought games," Auburn head coach Tina Deese said. "I'm very proud of the job our pitchers did in both games. Anna and Jenee did a great job against a good hitting team. Now we just have come back and get ready for South Alabama."
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