KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – A stellar effort from junior pitcher Ashley Rogers and a three RBI day from classmate Ally Shipman pushed the No. 21 Tennessee softball team past No. 8 Kentucky, 6-2, on Sunday at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.
The win gives Tennessee (28-6, 4-5 SEC) its first SEC series win of the season and keeps its home series win streak over Kentucky (27-6, 4-5 SEC) alive. The Wildcats still have yet to win a series in Knoxville in the history of the overall series between the programs.
Rogers threw a second complete game in three days, tossing seven innings and giving up just two runs on three hits, while fanning 13 batters. Today’s performance coupled with Friday’s victory gave Rogers 23 strikeouts on the weekend in 14 innings of work, while giving up just three runs on six total hits.
At the plate, Shipman went 2-for-3 with three RBI and a massive two RBI double to put the Lady Vols on the board early.
Senior Ashley Morgan finished 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs that came on a monster two-run blast to put the Tennessee lead out of reach in the third.
Graduate student Cailin Hannon was the third Lady Vol to finish with multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with an RBI.
UT got on the board first as Shipman ripped a double to left field that scored a pair of runs to put the Lady Vols up, 2-0 in the second inning.
In the top of the third, Kentucky cut the Orange & White lead in half off the bat of Kayla Kowalik.
Tennessee immediately responded in the home half of the inning on a two-run blast from Morgan that increased its advantage to 4-1.
An inning later, Shipman punched a single up the middle, scoring sophomore Kiki Milloy to put the Lady Vols up, 5-1.
After a Kowalik solo blast in the sixth, Hannon added one last insurance run a seeing eye single up the middle to cement the afternoon’s final score.
UP NEXT
Tennessee returns to action for a Tuesday doubleheader with in-state foe, Tennessee Tech. First pitches from Sherri Parker Lee Stadium are set for 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network+.
Box Score | Overall Stats | SEC Stats
-UT Athletics
