Lady Vols surge past Indiana to advance to Sunday

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - After run-ruling Northern Kentucky 12-0, in game one, the Lady Vols met Indiana with a chance to advance to Sunday on the line.

Ashley Rogers was tabbed with the start, against Taryn Kern, her second battered faced Rogers gave up a solo home run and the Hoosiers took an early 1-0 lead.

The Lady Vols responded in the bottom frame when Kiki Milloy took the plate in the leadoff spot and she laced the pitch deep to left field by the scoreboard for a solo home run and the game was tied at 1. Later in the inning, with one on and two outs Mackenzie Donihoo roped one deep to right field into the bleachers for a two-run home run and the Lady Vols gained their first lead of the game 3-1.

Milloy would yard in the next inning, this time out to the right field and she’d bring Katie Taylor with her for a two-run homer with two outs to give Tennessee a 5-1 advantage. Her second home run ties a career-high for home runs in a game when she blasted a pair against Kentucky in April.

In the top of the third, Indiana would get the bases loaded with two outs before officials came out to put the game on a weather delay to due poor field conditions from the continuous rain. Hoosier’s head coach was clearly upset with the decision, but just after 2:00, the game went delayed.

Five hours later the game resumed and Tennessee took care of business. Rogers would pinch out the final batter in the third with bases loaded and that momentum carried into the next frame.

With bases loaded Rylie West homered to dead center field to clear the bases and put the Lady Vols up 9-1, giving the team their eventual win. That grand slam was West’s second of the season.

The Lady Vols stay in the winner’s bracket and will play the winner of game five, first pitch is tentatively set for 4:35 p.m.