Vols Outslug Cats (UT Athletics)
No. 3 Tennessee triumphed over No. 24 Kentucky, 8-3, in the series opener Thursday night, following a back-and-forth contest at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.
In a contest waiting for someone to take charge, Rylie West and Sophia Nugent did just that with back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. With UT and UK knotted at 3-3, the blasts broke open the game as the Lady Vols seized control with a two-run lead courtesy of the long ball.
Tennessee (38-9, 17-5 SEC) extended its lead and secured its final margin of victory in the sixth inning off a Taylor Pannell three-run home run.
Nugent and Pannell led UT at the plate Thursday night as both players picked up a pair of hits. Nugent finished with two runs scored and an RBI, while Pannell scored once with three RBIs.
Kentucky (30-19, 8-14) opened up a 1-0 lead in the third inning as the Wildcats strung together three consecutive two-out base knocks.
The Lady Vols tied the game in the bottom of the fourth with two outs, sparked by a Kiki Milloy RBI single to left.
A batter later, a little miscommunication among the Wildcats benefited Tennessee, leading to a pop fly landing safely between three players – scoring two and giving the Lady Vols a 3-1 lead.
Kentucky's Lauryn Borzilleri's two-run home run in the top of the fifth tied the game back up at 3-3.
Karlyn Pickens got the start Thursday night for the Lady Vols, tossing four innings. She surrendered three runs on five hits with four strikeouts and a walk.
Payton Gottshall came in relief and secured her 19th victory of the season, pitching three innings while only conceding two hits and fanning four batters.
West and Nugent's back-to-back home runs at the start of the fifth inning put the Big Orange back on top 5-3 before Pannell's three-run blast secured the Lady Vols' victory.
Stephanie Schoonover suffered the loss for the Wildcats – her eighth on the year. She struck out four batters and walked five while allowing five hits and five runs in four innings.
Alexia Lacatena finished in the circle for UK and allowed three hits and three runs with only one strikeout in her two innings of relief.
UP NEXT
Tennessee and Kentucky continue the Border Battle on Friday with first pitch set for 6 p.m. ET on SEC Network+.