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Tennessee softball loses two of three at Georgia: Takeaways

By Caleb Calhoun

The Tennessee Volunteer waves a Power T flag during the Vol Walk ahead of a game against Pittsburgh at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021.Kns Tennessee Pittsburgh Football
The Tennessee Volunteer waves a Power T flag during the Vol Walk ahead of a game against Pittsburgh at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021.Kns Tennessee Pittsburgh Football /
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In a series where none of the games were close, Tennessee softball lost on Friday and Sunday at the Georgia Bulldogs for their first series loss in the SEC in three weeks and their first SEC series loss on the road. UT lost 8-2 on Friday before winning 11-5 on Saturday. They lost 12-4 in five innings on Sunday.

Ranked No. 11 or No. 12 depending on the service you go by, the Lady Vols now fall to 26-12 overall and 8-6 in the SEC. They will next face the Western Carolina Catamounts in a midweek matchup Wednesday before hosting the Texas A&M Aggies next weekend for a three-game series beginning Saturday.

The Dawgs, meanwhile, ranked anywhere from No. 14 to No. 17 depending on the service you go by, improve to 33-8 and 7-5 in the SEC. They will next visit the Missouri Tigers for a three-game series beginning Thursday. Here are three things we learned from Tennessee softball’s series loss.

1. It was a rough outing for starting pitchers.

In a rarity, Ashley Rogers and Erin Edmoundson both struggled. Rogers got the start Friday and Sunday. On Friday, with the score tied at two in the bottom of the fourth, Rogers allowed in an RBI double and walked in two more runs, giving up five runs in less than four innings. She then allowed seven runs in the first two innings on Sunday, including three home runs.

Edmoundson got the start Saturday and was bailed out by UGA’s bad defense. She allowed one run through two innings but then gave up three in the third and was pulled before getting an out. Bailey McCachren and Nicola Simpson also struggled, and Ryleigh White had a bad Sunday, so the pitching was bad all the way around, but the starters were the main culprits.

2. Kiki Milloy was the only consistent offensive player.

On Saturday, Tennessee softball came out swinging. Amanda Ayala was the star, going 3-of-4 with three runs scored, but McKenna Gibson hit a two-run shot, drove in another run and scored two runs herself, and Kelcy Leach hit a three-run shot. Overall, though, Kiki Milloy was the only consistent offensive player this weekend.

Milloy finished the series with a hit and a run scored in every game. She went 4-of-12 with three runs, four RBIs, a stolen base and a home run. For the most part, there was no offense from the Lady Vols. Six of their runs were unearned Saturday anyway, and they hit .233 over the weekend. It was just a mediocre offensive outing.

3. Defense was one positive.

Georgia’s defense helped highlight this, as they had five errors over the weekend and allowed six unearned runs Saturday. On the other hand, though, you have to give the Lady Vols credit. This was a weakness of theirs at the beginning of the year, and they didn’t have an error in any game.

That speaks even more poorly of the pitching, but we know that’s not a long-term weakness of Tennessee softball. As a result, the defense continuing to get better is a hugely encouraging sign as Karen Weekly’s team enters the heart of April.

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