TAMPA, Fla. – Freshman Kiki Milloy showcased her power as she belted a long shot to right center that impressed onlookers from both Tennessee and USF as the ball smacked the top of the Bulls’ video board.
No. 12 UT (7-5) took a 1-0 lead, and after keeping a three-win Bulls team scoreless through six innings with steady defense, that advantage appeared to be enough.
Unfortunately, even after turning three double plays and a solid effort in the circle by freshman Callie Turner, who struck out four batters, a much-needed win by the Lady Vols, desperately trying to get the taste of back-to-back run rules out of their mouths, was subverted by a two-out, two-run dinger in the bottom of the seventh.
UT fell 2-1 in its third consecutive loss of the weekend, while the Bulls upset their third top-20 team of the season also downing a then No. 17/19 Texas Tech and No. 15/15 Georgia a week ago.
Tennessee missed out on a fourth double play to finish the game with a defensive highlight as Milloy caught a fly out in center and threw toward second base to put out the runner who was trying to get back to the base. But, freshman Josie Willingham caught the ball in the cut on a miscue, which allowed USF’s runner to reach back safely.
Turner (5-3) picked up the loss after 6.2 innings of work giving up six hits and one walk.
Next Up
UT faces USF on Sunday for a getaway day game at 11:30 a.m.
Tennessee 1, UCF 9
No. 12 Tennessee was greeted by the Florida sun Saturday morning, which provided a bit of warmth to a 39-degree start to the day.
Unfortunately, the cool weather appeared to have cooled the bats of the Lady Vols who only recorded one hit, albeit a big one, in its consecutive run-rule loss to UCF (11-3) this weekend.
Freshman Josie Willingham gave UT a jolt of energy blasting her first career homer to clip the Knight’s no-hitter in the bottom of the third, however, the Lady Vols (7-4) could not put together any additional offense to extend play after the fifth inning in the 9-1 loss.
Tennessee’s defense, which was able to keep UCF off the board in the top of the fourth and fifth innings, struggled throughout the morning outing recording four errors.
Redshirt sophomore Samantha Bender (2-1) was credited with the loss giving up eight hits, two walks and three earned runs in 3.1 innings of work.
-UT Athletics
