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May 17, 2009

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - A 2-for-3, four-RBI effort from Jacksonville State designated player Meredith Sellers helped guide the Gamecocks (42-14) to a 6-1 victory over No. 15 Tennessee (40-17-1) on Sunday at the Lee Softball Stadium and forced the "if necessary" contest for the title at the Knoxville Regional.

Sophomore center fielder Kelly Grieve and senior left fielder Lillian Hammond led UT's eight-hit offensive output with two hits apiece, while sophomore first baseman Jen Lapicki was credited with the Big Orange's lone RBI in the match-up.

Freshman hurler Cat Hosfield took the defeat, falling to 28-13 on the season after permitting two runs on two hits in one inning of work.

Tennessee's offense threatened in the top of the first with two outs as junior catcher Tiffany Huff singled back through the middle. Lapicki walked, placing a pair aboard and bringing clean-up hitting freshman third baseman Jessica Spigner to the plate. The Santa Clarita, Calif., native singled to center field, setting the runners in motion as Huff rounded third on the way to the dish. Unfortunately for the Lady Vols, Hillary Downs throw home was in time to nail the runner, preventing Tennessee from grabbing a quick lead.

Hosfield was firmly in control in the bottom half of the opening frame by striking out both left fielder Chrissy O'Neal and first baseman Nikki Frier and getting a routine grounder to Lapicki at first from catcher Allie Barker.

Gamecock second baseman Courtney Underwood christened the bottom of the second with a lead-off single to left center. Designated player Meredith Sellers stepped in to face Hosfield and blasted a towering homer to left center that ricocheted off the Lee Stadium scoreboard for a 2-0 lead. That ended the freshman pitcher's day in the circle for UT as sophomore Ashton Ward entered in relief. The Charlotte, N.C., native immediately settled things down, retiring third baseman Allison Svoboda and right fielder Jackie Jarman and Mary Beth Ledbetter in order.

A base knock to right from Hammond and a walk issued to Huff set the stage for another two-out scoring chance for the Lady Vols in the top of the third. Lapicki came to the dish with a chance to post a big hit, but went down swinging on a ball well off the plate.

In the top of the fourth junior second baseman Nicole Kajitani laced a single to deep short. Following a Lady Vol foul out for the second retirement of the frame, senior right fielder Danielle Pieroni chopped to short for an infield single and Kajitani advanced to third on an error. With runners at the corners, freshman shortstop Ashley Andrews grounded to third and couldn't beat the throw across the diamond as Tennessee's left stranded number rose to six through four frames.

Jacksonville State nearly added to their advantage in the bottom of the fourth as third baseman Allison Svoboda drove a shot to deep left that was tracked down on the warning track for a very long out.

With time starting to grow short in the contest, Grieve attempted to get an assault started in the top of the fifth with a lead-off base hit back through the middle. After a Lady Vol K, Grieve swiped her 38th base of the campaign to reach scoring position with one down. JSU pitcher Karla Pittman walked Huff, placing a pair aboard with the power in the UT order stepping into the batter's box. Unfortunately, Lapicki bounced out up the line to first and then Spigner chopped back to the circle as the Lady Vols again left two runners aboard.

A fielding error on Jacksonville State second baseman Underwood allowed Kajitani to reach safely starting the sixth. Freshman designated player Shelby Burchell hit a ball right at Underwood and she booted it once again for her second consecutive miscue. The ball caromed into right field as Jarman scooped the sphere and gunned down Kajitani attempting to advance to third. That play derailed the inning as Pieroni hit into a fielder's choice at second and Andrews grounded out.

The first two Gamecock hitters reached successfully in the bottom of the sixth before relief pitcher Spigner struck out Underwood. Sellers cashed both runners in with a double just over the third base bag and down the line into the corner as JSU stormed to a huge 4-0 advantage. Jarman followed with a RBI double and Ledbetter with a RBI single as the lead expanded to six runs.

In UT's last chance in the top of the seventh, Grieve started off the frame by beating out a slap base hit to deep short. Hammond delivered a high chopper out in front of the plate for a single as Tennessee placed two on with still none retired. Huff walked to load the bags and then Lapicki grounded to second for an RBI as Grieve scored, cutting the Lady Vol deficit to 6-1. After an infield pop-up from Spigner, Kajitani battled Pittman to a 2-2 count before grounding to first base, ending the contest and forcing the "if necessary" game.