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Feb. 7, 2009

Box Score

ST. GEORGE, Utah - The No. 12 Tennessee Lady Vol softball team (4-1) was pushed beyond regulation to 10 innings but prevailed with an important win over a strong power-hitting BYU (3-2) squad in a 4-0 triumph to close out its participation at the BYU Red Desert Classic in St. George, Utah.

For the weekend, UT posted a .372 team batting average with eight doubles, a triple, nine stolen bases and seven home runs while outscoring its five opponents by a combined 42-5 total. The Big Orange pitching staff limited opponents to a .196 batting average with freshman right hander Cat Hosfield leading the way with a 3-1 record, a 0.64 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 22.0 innings of work. Hosfield and sophomore hurler Ashton Ward combined on a no-hitter of San Jose State, while senior Danielle Pieroni allowed just one hit in 3.2 total frames of work.

Junior catcher Tiffany Huff guided the way offensively by hitting a staggering .647 (11-of-17) overall with two doubles, two home runs and an amazing 15 RBIs, while slugging 1.118. Senior left fielder Lillian Hammond posted a .600 average (9-of-15) with seven runs scored and four stolen bases. Freshman third baseman Jessica Spigner made quite a debut in the Orange with a .471 average (8-of-17), a team-best three homers and seven RBIs. Fellow rookies Shelby Burchell (.417, five RBIs) and Dee Dee Fryer blasted their initial collegiate home runs, and junior center fielder Kelly Grieve tallied a .398 average with a team-high nine runs scored and three steals.

Versus BYU, Burchell came through with the big hit, a double to the wall in right in the top of the 10th inning that eventually helped three runs score as part of a 2-for-5 effort. Junior second baseman Erinn Webb recorded a RBI on a fielder's choice, while Hammond went 3-for-4, Huff 2-for-2 and Spigner 2-for-5 at the dish.

In the circle Pieroni worked the opening two frames, allowing just one hit with two strikeouts, before giving way to Hosfield. The 5-9 right hander then shut down the Cougars on two hits over 8.0 innings while tallying six strikeouts and four walks (two intentional).

"This game was a real character builder for our young team," Lady Vol co-head coach Ralph Weekly said. "The weather was less than favorable and BYU had a great home crowd at the facility. We had runners in scoring position on numerous occasions, but couldn't seem to get the big hit. BYU threatened in the eighth and ninth innings, but Cat Hosfield and our defense were able to hold them. Karen and I are particularly proud of Cat because she pitched a phenomenal game. Shelby Burchell and Jessica Spigner came up with key hits in the clutch. We are also especially proud that our defense faced over 120 chances during the tourney without making an error. BYU is a very strong team and battled us tooth and nail. Tiffany Huff had one of the best performances in a tournament that I've ever seen considering she faced two outstanding pitchers from Washington and BYU in addition to the other three teams. To hit over .600 with 15 RBIs, two home runs...that's a season for some players."

Tennessee's offense threatened with one out in the top of the first as Hammond was struck by a pitch from BYU hurler Christine Zinanti. Huff followed by drawing a walk, placing two aboard for the hot-hitting Spigner. The Santa Clarita, Calif., blasted a shot to deep right but just missed out on a potential third homer of the day as Cougar right fielder Stephanie Hopkins caught the ball at the base of the temporary fencing. Huff successfully swiped second while attempting unsuccessfully to bait BYU into ignoring Hammond at third. Webb stepped to the dish and battled Zinanti to a 2-2 count before popping up to short to strand the pair in scoring position.

Pieroni made the decision to start her against the Cougars look very wise in the bottom of the opening frame, as the Madison, Tenn., product retired the side in order. Blue & White second baseman Kristin Delahoussaye flied out to Grieve in left center, designated player Tiffany Messerschmidt struck out swinging and center fielder Monica Gonzales grounded out routinely to Webb at second to end a quick bottom half.

The Big Orange got another one out scoring chance going with the assistance of a Cougar defensive miscue in the top of the second. Fryer dropped a grounder towards short that traveled right through the legs of BYU shortstop Andrea Ramirez and into left center allowing the runner to eventually reach scoring position at second. Sophomore first baseman Jen Lapicki drew a walk and, on ball four, the pitch was wild and traveled to the backstop as Fryer cruised up 60 feet to third. On a 1-2 pitch Andrews bounced back to the circle forcing Zinanti to make the play as Lapicki advanced to second. Grieve hit a promising ball to short but was gunned down at first by a half a step as UT upped the total to four base runners left through two innings.

BYU managed its initial base runner of the contest in the bottom of the second as catcher Jessica Purcell popped a ball towards second that just eluded Tennessee shortstop Ashley Andrews' dive, for a one-out single. Left fielder Caschjen Davis swung and missed at a Pieroni change-up to record the second out. Amanda Vance stepped into the box and popped up about 20 feet in the air towards first. Lapicki charged in from her defensive position and dove towards home plate to make an outstanding "web gem" play to complete the frame.

Hammond christened the third with a single through the left side of the infield. Huff dropped a perfect sacrifice bunt out in front of the dish to advance the speedster into scoring position with one out. Spigner battled out of a 0-2 hole to 2-2 before moving the runner up 60 feet with a groundout to second base. With two down in the frame, Webb hit the ball sharply but right back to Zinanti in the circle as she corralled the sphere, turned and tossed over for out number three.

Venturing to BYU's half of the third frame, the coaching staff made the call to the bullpen to summon in Hosfield with the game still on the line. The Murfreesboro, Tenn., native began her efforts with consecutive strikeouts of Cougar third baseman Coreen Lopez and right fielder Stephanie Hopkins. Delahoussaye managed a two-out walk with Messerschmidt stepping into the batter's box. The Cougar designated player ripped a liner down to third that Spigner managed to spear right in front of her face for the third out before she tumbled sideways onto the ground.

The Blue and White came close to breaking the scoreless deadlock with two retired in the bottom of the fourth as Purcell drove a Hosfield offering deep to left. The shot wasn't deep enough, however, as Hammond tracked the ball down at the base of the fence to conclude things with both teams having just missed solo homers through four frames.

After Tennessee left a seventh overall runner stranded in the top of the fifth, BYU managed a lead-off walk from Davis to open the bottom half. Hosfield got Vance to fly out routinely to left field as Hammond squeezed the ball for out number one. Lopez popped up to Andrews just behind second base and Hopkins struck out swinging as the lead-off walk amounted to nothing.

The pitcher's duel continued through the sixth inning between Hosfield and Zinanti. Tennessee managed a base knock from Burchell but pinch runner Nicole Kajitani was gunned down on a steal attempt at second on a strike three call to kill any rally hopes. Hosfield set the Cougars down in order one-two-three with an inning-ending strikeout of Gonzales.

Neither team threatened in the final inning of regulation action as both squads were set down one-two-three necessitating extra softball.

Searching for that lone run, Huff tried to get something started by lacing a single to left with one retired in the top of the eighth. Spigner was next up and delivered a bouncer down the line into the corner for a double, advancing Huff around to third with still only one out. Unfortunately Webb swung at the first pitch and bounced out to third forcing the runner to hold at the bag just 60 feet from paydirt. Kajitani grounded out harmlessly to second and another big opportunity went for naught.

With one down in the bottom of the eighth, BYU's Lopez drove a shot to right center and to the wall for a double granting the Cougars a big chance to end things. The Weeklys made the decision to intentionally walk Hopkins with one out to set up the potential force play at three bases. That brought Delahoussaye to the dish in the big spot, but her bouncer was caught by Spigner. She turned and beat the runner to third base for a big force out. BYU coach Gordon Eakin decided to pinch hit Krista Hicks for Messerschmidt, and Hosfield got ahead of her 0-2 before the hitter started battling, fouling off two pitches before taking ball one. Hosfield then tossed a perfect change-up that fooled the hitter for a huge, rally-ending strike three.

An error to lead-off the top of the ninth on a grounder off the bat of Fryer granted the Lady Vols a big base runner. A sacrifice bunt and an attempt for a bunt base hit advanced the runner to third with two down. Grieve stepped up and slapped a short pop towards third that Lopez dove into foul ground to corral ending the scoring opportunity.

Purcell delivered a two out double down into the left field corner in the bottom of the ninth, forcing Tennessee to intentionally walk Davis to again set up the force plays with Vance striding to the plate. She hit a ball sharply down to third, but Spigner again made a great defensive play under pressure to retire the side.

Hammond dropped a bunt out in front of the plate and beat the throw down to first for a single starting the 10th. Zinanti's throw to the bag was wide for BYU's third miscue of the contest allowing the runner to race into scoring position with no outs. The Cougars were especially careful with Huff, throwing four consecutive balls to put her on-base. Spigner followed with a clean single to right, but not deep enough to score Hammond all the way from second. With the bags packed full of Lady Vols, Webb laced a groundball to third. Lopez nabbed the orb, turned a complete 360 degrees and tossed home, but too late as Hammond scored on the exceptionally close play at the plate. With a run finally across, the pressure lessened slightly as Burchell then drove the next Zinanti offering to the wall in right field. A throw back to the infield from Hopkins was errant as eventually all three base occupants would race across home plate granting Tennessee a huge 4-0 lead. BYU relief pitcher Paige Affleck entered the contest in relief and stemmed the offensive momentum of UT by striking out the side, however, the damage was already done on the scoreboard.

Down to a final chance in the bottom of the 10th against Hosfield, BYU's Lopez grounded out to short, Hopkins flew out to left and Delahoussaye flew harmlessly to right to end a big win for the Orange & White.

The Lady Vols are off until Friday, Feb. 13th, when the squad travels down to Orlando, Fla., for the UCF Early Bird Tournament. Tennessee will christen its participation at the event against North Florida on Friday at 9 a.m. ET. For periodic voicemail updates of next weekend's action call the Lady Vol Hotline at 865-974-8700 and select box #6.