PERFECTION: Gabriel Throws Perfect Game

Tuesday, March 24

Knoxville, Tenn.

6:00 PM

University of Tennessee

22-7

ETSU

11-15

ETSU

Tennessee

March 24, 2015 | Softball

Box Score

March 24, 2015

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Erin Gabriel achieved perfection in the circle on Tuesday, throwing the 12th perfect game in school history to lead No. 15 Tennessee to a 10-0, five-inning win over ETSU at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.

The win also marked Gabriel's second no-hitter over the last two weeks as she threw her first no-no against Illinois State (seven innings, 16 strikeouts) on March 10. Gabriel's perfect game was UT's 11th solo perfect game (one pitcher used). Entering today, UT's most recent perfect game Ivy Renfroe's five-inning, six-strikeouts perfect game against Ole Miss on April 28, 2012.

Gabriel (11-3) was efficient. She threw just 49 pitches with 37 for strikes.

"Today, I just had a goal again of being efficient," Gabriel said. "We talked about how over the weekend I wasn't as efficient with my pitching. I wasn't getting ahead of batters. So I just went out and had an attack mindset."

Gabriel now has the distinction of being just the fourth Tennessee pitcher to throw two no-hitters in the same season, joining the great Monica Abbott (four in 2004, six in 2005, six in 2006, seven in 2007), Megan Rhodes (two in 2005) and Ivy Renfroe (two in 2011, two in 2012).

UT (22-7) scored three runs in the second inning, two in the third and five in the fourth. ETSU (11-15) starter Whitney Leon (4-6) allowed seven runs over 3.2 innings.

Annie Aldrete was 2-for-3 with a pair of homers and three RBIs. Scarlet McSwain was 2-for-2 with a triple and three runs scored. Rainey Gaffin and Megan Geer also hit home runs in the win.

Tennessee took a 3-0 lead in the first inning. With two outs, Tory Lewis hit a RBI single up the middle, scoring McSwain for the game's first run. Gaffin smashed a 3-1 pitch from Whitney Leon down the right field line for a two-run homer in the next at-bat. The home run was Gaffin's fifth of the season and her 12th extra-base hit.

The Lady Vols' lead grew to 5-0 in the bottom of the third. With one out, Aldrete clubbed a solo homer, her seventh blast of the year, to left field. Two batters later, McSwain tripled off the wall in center field and Cheyanne Tarango drove her in with a single through the left side.

UT poured on five more runs in the fourth inning to put the run rule into effect. Geer hit a two-out solo home run to left field. Two batters later, Aldrete smashed a two-run bomb to right field. Taylor Koenig and Scarlet McSwain hit back-to-back doubles with the latter plating the former. Lexi Overstreet rounded out the five-run inning with an RBI single to right field.

The win also stretched Tennessee's streak to 82-straight wins against in-state rivals. Ralph Weekly and Karen Weekly have led UT to a perfect 77-0 record against in-state foes. The Lady Vols are 111-3 all-time against teams from the state of Tennessee.

Tennessee will take on Tennessee Tech on Wednesday at 6 p.m. with a live online video broadcast on SEC Network + and the WatchESPN app. Courtney Lyle will be the play-by-play announcer with Julia Cox providing analysis. WNML 990 AM and UTSports.com will also carry a live audio broadcast with Brian Rice on the call.