COLUMBIA, S.C. – The seventh-ranked Lady Vols won their second SEC series of the season Sunday night with a 7-0 shutout of 23rd-ranked South Carolina at Beckham Field.
Tennessee (25-4, 5-0 SEC) won its 17th straight game – the longest streak in the nation – thanks to strong pitching and timely hitting.
Graduate Payton Gottshall got the start for the Lady Vols in game two and went the distance as she tossed her fifth complete game of the season. The right-hander fanned seven, walked four and scattered three hits en route to her 11th win.
The shutout is Gottshall’s first this year.
Rylie West finished 1-for-2 on the night and drove in three runs Sunday, including the game’s first as Kiki Milloy scored on a West sacrifice fly in the first inning.
In the third, West clubbed a two-run home run to left – extending Tennessee’s advantage to three. West has eight home runs this season, tying her single-season career high.
Junior Laura Mealer added a little insurance in the fourth inning with a two-run home run – her seventh blast this season – to make it 5-0 Lady Vols. The Chapel Hill, Tennessee, native also went 1-for-2 at the plate with two runs scored.
Tennessee added two more runs in the sixth as South Carolina walked in a run before McKenna Gibson knocked an RBI single for UT’s seventh score of the night.
Gibson and Destiny Rodriguez led the Orange & White as both players went 2-for-4 at the dish.
South Carolina (22-9, 0-5 SEC) managed just three hits off Gottshall – led by Riley Blampied with two. Denver Bryant picked up the Gamecocks’ only other hit on the night.
Alana Vawter started in the circle for South Carolina and lasted 3.2 innings before being lifted in the fourth for Sage Mardjetko. Vawter allowed five runs – four earned – on five hits. She walked two and struck out two.
Vawter took the loss and is 8-5 on the year.
Mardjetko tossed just 1.1 frames, walking one and striking out two before she gave way to Jori Heard who finished out the game. Heard allowed two runs on three hits, walked four and struck out one over three innings of work.
STAT OF THE DAY
With the series win, Tennessee has won 10 of its last 11 SEC series dating to May 7-8, 2022.
UP NEXT
Tennessee and South Carolina close out the three-game series Monday night on SEC Network. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. Fans can also listen to Charley Collier call the action on AM990.
