GAME 31: #16/19 Tennessee 1, Tennessee State 1
GAME 32: #16/19 Tennessee 3, Tennessee State 0
RECORDS: TSU (8-24), Tennessee (31-6)
FIELD: Sherri Parker Lee Stadium
LOCATION: Knoxville, Tenn.
WEATHER: Partly Sunny, 71


KNOXVILLE, Tenn. --- Tennessee State battled in both games at No. 16 Tennessee on Wednesday afternoon before being swept in non-conference doubleheader. The Tigers came up short in the opener, 2-1, before getting shutout 3-0 in the night cap.

The Big Blue pitching and defense was on showcase for both contests. UT entered the day ranked 13th in the nation with a .336 batting average and 20th in scoring with 6.51 runs per game. The Big Blue staff held the Lady Vols to 12 hits on the day for a .255 average and five total runs.

Raven Loveless (2-12) tossed a gem in game one, allowing two runs on six hits and three walks. The junior struck out four on the day and moved into a tie for ninth in the TSU career record books with 138. Loveless gave up a one-out triple in the first which led to the first run of the game a batter later on a ground out.

TSU evened the score in the third as Marisa Mauroschadt scored on an errant throw by the Vols trying to retire Renae Spears and the side.

The score remained tied until the first batter of the bottom of the fourth. Ivy Davis drove a ball over the fence in left center to give the Lady Vols the 2-1 advantage.

Loveless responded by settling in and striking out three of the next four batters in the midst of retiring eight straight batters. UT tried to extend its lead after the Loveless run of outs by loading the bases with two outs in the sixth. The Tiger hurler would give her squad a chance by enticing a fly out to Ivory Jones in left field to end the threat.

The Tigers forced UT to call on ace Ashley Rogers for the final two innings of the game. Rogers who ranks sixth in the nation with 175 strikeouts went to work and fanned all six batters she faced to earn the save.

The No. 16 Lady Vols jumped out fast in the opening frame with three runs, two earned, off starter Lauren Powell. The redshirt-senior pitcher gave up a walk, a double, a sacrifice fly, hit a batter, and had a batter reach on an error all in the frame. After the first, Powell (3-9) did not allow a run as she scattered five hits over the 4.3 innings. The defense stood tall for the hurler, even turning a double play to end the fifth.

Francys King entered with one out in the sixth and recorded two outs despite facing one batter. Kayli Mothershed assisted on the first out for King as she cut down a would-be base stealer at second base. King ended the sixth with a strike out.

Offensively, the Tigers would have to face Rogers right out of the gate. The UT pitcher sat down the first six batters, for via the punch out.

Mothershed earned a walk to leadoff the third, giving TSU its first base runner of the contest. Rogers responded by striking out the next four batters before allowing a one out single to left field by Anayah Baker-Rowell.

The Tigers put two runners on in the sixth after a UT pitching change. Lauren Farias walked and Peyton Fointno was hit by a pitch before the Lady Vols reentered Rogers. The UT ace ended the Tigers chances by getting out of the jam and facing the minimum in the seventh.

GAME 1

• Anayah Baker picked up the first hit of the day with a two-out single to center in the first.
• UT used a triple and a ground out in the bottom of the first off starter Raven Loveless to take an early 1-0 lead.
• The Tigers tried to produce a two-out rally in the second as Kayli Mothershed doubled to right and Analeigh Coursey reached on an infield single, only to leave both runners on base.
• In the third, Marisa Mauroschadt ripped a one-out single to left center and moved to second on a Baker groundout.
• Renae Spears reached on a throwing error, which allowed Mauroschadt to score from second to even the score at 1-1.
• Ivory Jones followed with a walk, but the Tigers were unable to push another run across the plate.
• UT regained the lead, 2-1, with a leadoff home run in the fourth.
• Loveless would not allow a base runner for the next eight batters, until UT loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth.
• The junior pitcher ended the threat to close out the sixth.
• Offensively, Jones was the last Tiger to reach as the final 13 batters were sat down in order.

GAME 2

• Lauren Powell was touched for three runs in the first, two earned, in the first to produce the final score.
• The Lady Vols first run was manufactured by a hit by pitch and two stolen bases.
• The leadoff batter scored as the throw to third on the second steal attempt sailed into left field.
• After an error, UT followed with a double, a sacrifice fly, a walk and a ground out to generate the final two runs.
• Powell allowed runners in every inning, but kept the Lady Vols at bay.
• Francys King entered with one out and a runner on first in the sixth.
• Mothershed threw out a runner at second base for the second out of the inning before King struck out the final batter.
• Mothershed was the first Tiger to reach base with a walk in the third, while Baker collected the lone hit with a single to left in the fourth.
• After a pitching change, the Tigers threatened with two base runners in the sixth.
• Lauren Farias earned a walk and Peyton Fointno was hit by a pitch.
• The Lady Vols reentered Ashley Rogers, who sat down the final six batters in game one and pitched the first five innings in game two.
• The UT pitcher ended the threat in the sixth and recorded a three up, three down inning in the seventh to secure the win.

UP NEXT:
The Tigers return to Ohio Valley Conference play with a weekend series at Austin Peay. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday, Apr. 17, followed by a single game on Sunday.

NOTES:

• The Tigers wore their blue jerseys and blue pants with white socks.
• These were games six and seven of a 12-game road trip.
• Raven Loveless struck out four batters in game one, improving her career total to 138.
• The strikeouts give the junior 138 at TSU, tying Lauren Weber (2006-08) for ninth.