Game Recap: Softball | March 08, 2024
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Junior newcomer Laura Mealer made a little history Friday night at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium as she powered the No. 8 Lady Vols to a pair of wins over Missouri State and South Dakota – 16-0 and 6-0, respectively.
In game one versus Missouri State, Mealer went 3-for-3 at the plate with three home runs – tying UT’s single-game home run record – and five RBIs. She is only the second player in program history to achieve the feat, joining Lauren Gibson who did so on April 20, 2013, against Ole Miss.
The Chapel Hill, Tennessee, native added another home run in game two versus South Dakota to bring her Friday night tally to four.
On the day, Mealer went 4-for-6 with four home runs and seven RBIs.
GAME ONE – No. 8 Tennessee 16, Missouri State 0
Tennessee pulled away early from Missouri State, scoring four runs in the first and one in the second before exploding for eight runs in the third. The Lady Vols tacked on three more runs in the fourth.
Kiki Milloy, McKenna Gibson, and Mealer all finished with three hits. Gibson drove in four runs, while Milloy came across the plate to score four times.
Senior Zaida Puni also hit a home run against the Bears, finishing the night with a pair of RBIs.
Graduate Payton Gottshall got the start in the circle and tossed four innings. She scattered two hits, walked one and struck out five – earning her sixth victory of the season. Sophomore Charli Orsini relieved her in the fifth and struck out one as she closed out Tennessee’s run-rule win.
GAME TWO – No. 8 Tennessee 6, South Dakota 0
UT earned its eighth shutout win of the season in Friday’s nightcap, with sophomore Karlyn Pickens tossing her fifth complete-game shutout of the season. The right-hander fanned 13 on the night and allowed just one hit and one walk.
Pickens is now 8-2 on the year.
The Lady Vols scored three quick runs in the first inning but were held scoreless until the fifth. Mealer broke the drought with her fourth home run of the day – a two-run shot to left.
Milloy added the lead in the sixth with an RBI double.
Puni closed out game two going 2-for-2 at the plate with two runs scored and two RBIs. She hit her second home run of the day in the game’s first innings.
UP NEXT
The Tennessee Invitational continues on Saturday with four games scheduled. The Lady Vols are slated to play Ohio State at 12:30 p.m. ET before the tournament enters bracket play for the final four games of the weekend.
