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April 2, 2003

Box Score

COLUMBIA, S.C.

Bolstered by a combined three-hit shutout from senior Stephanie Humphrey (Knoxville, Tenn.) and freshman Stacey Jennings (Aurora, Colo.), the Lady Vols claimed their mid-week series from 14th-ranked South Carolina with a 1-0 triumph at Beckham Field on Wednesday afternoon. In evening its Southeastern Conference mark at 6-6, Tennessee (33-13) also notched its first SEC series win on the road since taking three of four from the Gamecocks way back on April 9-10, 1999. Ralph and Karen Weekly's team had not defeated a ranked team in consecutive outings since knocking off fourth-rated UL-Lafayette twice over April 23-24, 1999 at Tyson Park.

"We told our kids before the game that this would be an opportunity for us to prove to everyone that we are getting better and better every week," said Co-Head Coach Ralph Weekly. "I deeply respect Joyce Compton and the South Carolina program, one of the top programs in collegiate softball. It was great for us to come up with two wins against such quality competition."

Stephanie (Humphrey) was fantastic and Stacey (Jennings) pitched superbly in a relief role. Jennings also scored the winning run totally on instinct. I did not have time to send her, she just read the play and scored on her own. Our entire team played well and worked together. We told them after the game that even though these were two very important wins, we need to enjoy the moment and then focus on the University of Arkansas."

UT held the defending East champions scoreless over the final two games of the set, as Humphrey fired an eight-inning no-hitter last night and the duo of pitchers worked together today to register the Big Orange's 13th shutout of the season. Humphrey (11-2) set a Lady Vol record with her 11th consecutive triumph in the circle, while Jennings notched her third save with a pair of scoreless frames. South Carolina is now 25-10 overall and 9-5 in league activity.

With a one-out single in the first off junior Stacey Johnson, freshman Kristi Durant (Placentia, Calif.) tied her season-best hitting streak of 13 games. In the bottom of the frame, senior Debralee Troesh ended Humphrey's run of 8.2 hitless innings in the series when she reached on a two-out infield hit.

Jennings reached on a throwing error with two down in the fourth and alertly took second when the ball eluded the Carolina first baseman. Junior Angela Brewer (East Ridge, Tenn.) stroked a single up the middle to give the Lady Vols runners on the corners and senior Blaine Teasley (Tucson, Ariz.) walked to fill the bases. Johnson worked out of her difficulties by having junior Ellisha Humphrey (Knoxville, Tenn.) ground out to senior third baseman Danielle Quinones.

Senior Jodi Fittro led off the home portion of the inning with a single into left but Troesh popped up a bunt attempt to Durant at third. Humphrey had Quinones ground out, moving Fittro to second, before the right-hander induced a fly ball from Cornett that was snared by freshman second baseman Mandie Fishback (Banks, Ore.).

Durant poked a two-out base-hit in the fifth and sophomore Amber Rhinehart (Citrus Heights, Calif.) followed with her team-leading 14th double of the campaign to give the Orange runners on second and third. Johnson had junior Lauren Mattox (Charlotte, N.C.) tap out to first to keep the zeroes on the board.

Jennings smoked a liner to begin the sixth that Johnson could not handle, resulting in an error. The Gamecocks attempted to pick Jennings off first during Brewer's at bat but the ball went wide of the bag and Jennings took second. Brewer wound up pushing Jennings over to third with a grounder. Tennessee took a 1-0 lead on a heads-up play by Jennings, as she was able to race home on Teasley's grounder as the relay went over to first. USC would then commit its third error of the inning when Ellisha Humphrey's ball was misplayed and Fishback followed with a single into left to chase Johnson from the game. Sophomore Aleca Johnson came in and set down freshman Katherine Card (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) on strikes to keep the count at 1-0.

Humphrey departed after five scoreless innings in favor of Jennings, with freshman Sarah Fekete (Maryville, Tenn.) moving to right field. Fittro poked a one-out single to right and Troesh lined out to Teasley in foul territory, resulting in the Lady Vol outfielder turning a double play, as she caught Fittro trying to tag up.

UT committed its third miscue of the game with one down in the bottom of the seventh, allowing Cornett to reach base. However, Jennings answered by having both sophomore pinch hitter Tia Rogers and Sandel pop out to Ellisha Humphrey to end the game.

Tennessee will return to the friendly confines of Tyson Park on Saturday with a doubleheader against West rival Arkansas (16-24/4-14 SEC) beginning at 1 p.m. The Lady'Backs took two of three games in Fayetteville last April behind a pair of shutouts from Heather Schlichtman, while Teasley finished the series 5-for-10 with a grand slam.