Big Inning Helps No. 11 Tennessee Oust Bulldogs From SEC Tournament, 3-0
May 25, 2016 | Softball
Official Game Statistics
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Fourth-seeded Tennessee plated a trio of unearned runs in the top of the third inning and rode the back of a dominating one-hit shutout from staff ace Monica Abbott to cruise past second-seeded Mississippi State and oust the Bulldogs from SEC Tournament contention with a 3-0 victory Saturday afternoon at the Florida Softball Stadium.
The win gave the Lady Vols (58-12) their fourth consecutive victory over Mississippi State (33-29) after sweeping a three-game set with the Bulldogs earlier this season in Knoxville. The Maroon and White suffered through their fifth one-hit showing of the season and fell to 11-16 all-time in SEC Tournament play with the setback.
Courtney Bures doubled for the third time in two appearances against the Lady Vols to highlight a 1-for-3 hitting line, while Jennifer Jessup gave MSU its only other baserunner in the contest after being hit by pitch in the sixth. Sarah Fekete, the SEC's leading hitter in terms of batting average, singled three times in as many trips to the plate to pace the hit column for the Orange.
MSU starter Stephanie Comeaux (10-10) scattered three hits over two and one-thirds innings from the circle, but took the tough luck loss after being tagged with all three runs in the third. Reliever Ragan Blake turned in one of her best outings of the season, striking out three and allowing just two hits over the remainder of the contest, but did not get a decision. Abbott (41-7), the only pitcher in NCAA history to turn in consecutive 500-strikeout seasons, struck out nine and allowed just Bures' double in the fourth to pick up the win for UT.
After stranding five runs through the first two innings of play, including a bases loaded situation in the first, Tennessee used a pair of walks and a fielding error to load the bases again with one out in the third, then got a sac fly from Katherine Card to plate the game's first run. Stacey Jennings followed with a two-run single to cushion the Orange advantage out to three.
Bures broke up Abbott's bid for a perfect game with a two-out double off the left field wall in the fourth, but Abbott regained her composure and induced a pop fly from Tanelda McDonald to escape the threat. Jessup reached after being hit by pitch with two outs in the sixth, but Abbott got Lindsay Hunley on a swinging strikeout to end the frame.
Mississippi State will head back to Starkville on Sunday morning before gathering at an undisclosed location later that evening to watch the NCAA Tournament Selection Show on ESPNews. The entire 64-team bracket, as well as regional host locations, is expected to be announced between 6:30 and 7 p.m. on the sports news channel.
#11 TENNESSEE 3, MISSISSIPPI STATE 0
Tennessee (58-12) 003 000 0 - 3 5 0Mississippi State (33-29) 000 000 0 - 0 1 2
Abbott and Doepking. Comeaux, Blake (3) and Geddings. W * Abbott (41-7). L * Comeaux (10-10). Save * None.
