#12 UT Edges Mississippi State, 5-3

Saturday, April 18

Starkville, Miss.

4:00 PM

University of Tennessee

34-11, 10-7

Mississippi State

31-15, 9-11

Tennessee

Mississippi State

April 18, 2015 | Softball

Box Score

April 18, 2015

Box Score

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Lexi Overstreet hit a two-run home run and No. 12 Tennessee added some late runs on bases-loaded walks to defeat Mississippi State, 5-3, on Saturday and take the season series at MSU Softball Field.

Tennessee (34-1, 10-7 SEC) scored one run in the first inning, two in the fourth, one in the sixth and one in the seventh. Mississippi State (31-15, 9-11 SEC) scored all three of its runs in the second inning.

Overstreet hit a two-run homer in the fourth, scored two runs and drew a walk. Rainey Gaffin went 2-for-4 at the plate. Tory Lewis and Gretchen Aucoin each drove in runs on bases-loaded walks.

Cheyanne Tarango (4-2) was strong in the circle, striking out two and limiting Mississippi State to just three hits and three runs over seven frames.

MSU reliever Holly Ward (6-3) took the loss after allowing two runs over two frames. Starter Mackenzie Toler recorded two outs in the first and gave up one unearned run. Cassady Knudsen gave up two runs over 3.1 innings and Alexis Silkwood got three outs in the seventh.

Tennessee took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Shaliyah Geathers laid down a sacrifice bunt to second base and Tory Lewis advanced to third and scored on a throwing error by second baseman Julia Echols. After putting two more runners on base, Mississippi State replaced Toler with Knudsen in the circle.

Mississippi State took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the second. With one out, Kayla Winkfield hit a two-run triple to left center to give the Bulldogs the lead. Two batters later, Winkfield scored on a double steal.

Overstreet tied the game at 3-3 in the top of the fourth with a two-run home run. Taylor Koenig recorded UT's first hit of the game with a one-out single to left field. Two batters later, Overstreet sent a full count pitch from Knudsen over the wall in right field for her sixth home run of the season. Overstreet's blast was Tennessee's 81st on the season, tying the program's single-season record set in 2014.

The Lady Vols squandered a great opportunity to add runs in the fifth inning. Geathers and Meghan Gregg opened the inning with back-to-back singles. Mississippi State relieved Knudsen in the circle with Holly Ward, who proceeded to hit Aucoin on a 2-0 count to load the bases. The Bulldogs escaped the jam with a fielder's choice (6-2 out at home plate), flyout to center and fielder's choice (out at third base).

Tennessee took a 4-3 lead in the sixth inning when Aucoin drew a bases-loaded walk. Overstreet and Gaffin opened the inning with a walk and a single through the right side, respectively. Lewis moved them over with a perfectly-executed sacrifice bunt in front of home plate. Two batters later, Gregg walked on four pitches. Aucoin drew the bases-loaded walk on a full count to score Overstreet for the go-ahead run.

Lewis drew a bases-loaded walk in the top of the seventh, plating pinch runner Hannah Devotie from third base to stretch UT's lead to 5-3. Tennessee left the bases loaded after Silkwood, who re-entered two batters earlier, struck out Geathers and induced a Gregg flyout to center.

Tennessee and Mississippi State will play Game 3 of this week's series on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT/2 p.m. ET. That game will have an online video broadcast via SEC Network/WatchESPN. Fans can also listen live on WNML 990 AM and UTSports.com with Brian Rice on the call.