Magic number down to one for UT Softball

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - The third-ranked Tennessee softball team secured its 20th consecutive full season with 40 or more wins in a 3-0 victory over South Carolina on Friday night at Sherri Lee Parker Stadium.

Tennessee (40-7, 18-4 SEC) gave graduate pitcher Ashley Rogers the start for the Lady Vols. She tossed a complete-game shutout – striking out five – and surrendered just four hits. She earned the win and moved to 15-1 on the year. Rogers has now thrown nine complete games and tossed five shutouts this season.

Tennessee (40-7, 18-4 SEC) provided the game’s first run in the bottom of the fourth, as shortstop Mackenzie Donihoo sent a 1-2 pitch over the left-field wall to give the Lady Vols a 1-0 lead. The homer was her sixth of the season.

UT extended its lead in the sixth as it pushed across two runs, thanks to two errors by the Gamecocks. With runners on second and third, a Lair Beautae pop-fly was dropped, followed by an errant throw that allowed Kiki Milloy and Katie Taylor to score and stretch Tennessee’s lead to 3-0.

Tennessee and South Carolina return for game two of the series Saturday with first pitch scheduled for noon ET and airing on SEC Network. A Lady Vol win or a Georgia loss at LSU and Tennessee wins its first SEc regular season softball championship since 2007.

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