Sixth-Ranked Lady Vols Slip By Visiting MSU, 1-0
May 25, 2016 | Softball
Official Game Statistics
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Kristi Durant's RBI single with one out in the bottom of the first inning proved to be the game's only run as sixth-ranked Tennessee came out on the better end of a pitching duel with visiting Mississippi State, 1-0, Saturday afternoon at Tyson Park in Knoxville, Tenn.
MSU (18-13, 0-4 SEC) left fielder Katie Johnson broke up a no-hit bid by Tennessee's Monica Abbott with an infield single in the sixth for the visitors' only hit, but the Lady Vols (32-4, 5-1) had a hard time figuring out MSU starter Stephanie Comeaux as well, turning in seven hits but scoring just one time. Sarah Fekete scored once on a 3-for-3 outing for the Orange.
Abbott (22-1) struck out 11 and allowed just two MSU baserunners in picking up her 11th consecutive victory of the campaign. Comeaux (6-4) threw just 85 pitches and surrendered seven hits in frustrating the SEC's most prolific offenses, but saddled the loss after the Lady Vol run in the first.
"If we can get that kind of game consistently out of Stephanie, she will be an all-America," said Mississippi State head coach Jay Miller. "There aren't very many teams in the country that can beat her when she throws like that. I thought we really played well behind her also. Monica (Abbott) is tough. You have to take advantage of opportunities and we weren't able to do that really well. But, I also thought we hit some good shots, particularly the four line drives we hit right at their right fielder. Those balls are in the gap if they go 10 to 12 feet either way."
After Abbott struck out the sides in the top half of the first, UT went to work in the bottom of the frame, getting Fekete into scoring position on a one-out single and a stolen base, before Durant took care of the rest on a seeing-eye single over the MSU middle infield. UT got another runner into position in the third, but the MState defense nixed the threat when Courtney Bures dove to snag a lazy fly and alertly doubled off Fekete scurrying back to the second base bag.
Bures was struck hard by an Abbott pitch in the fourth to give the Bulldogs their first baserunner of the game, but was erased from the paths moments later when she was caught stealing after oversliding the second base bag. Johnson broke up Abbott's no-no bid with a leadoff single in the sixth to give MSU its best scoring chance of the contest, but Abbott retired the next three Bulldogs in order to preserve her 15th shutout of the season.
