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Fifth-Ranked Lady Vols Down Virginia 5-1
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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. The Virginia softball team (2-8) wrapped up play at the Tennessee Classic Sunday, dropping a 5-1 game to the fifth-ranked Lady Vols. Fourth-year Lindsey Preuss hit her second home run of the Tennessee Classic and her fourth of the year, while teammate Kelly Haller went 3-for-3 at the plate with three singles against UT.
The Cavaliers went 2-3 in the tournament. Preuss and Haller were both named to the Tennessee Classic All-Tournament team.
Preuss homered to center field to lead off the top of the seventh inning for Virginia. Haller, the next batter, singled for a third time in the game, this time to center, after previously hitting to left in the first inning and right in the fourth.
First-year Allee Rife (1-2) made her third start for Virginia and went 3 2/3 innings, allowing five runs off seven hits. Wilburn came on in relief in the fourth inning and finished the game, allowing no runs on just one hit.
Tennessee (14-1) picked up one run in the bottom of the first inning. Chandra Mogan reached on a throwing error by shortstop Carly Winger and scored the first run of the game after back-to-back singles from teammates Tonya Callahan and Shannon Doepking.
The Lady Vols made it 3-0 with two more runs in the second. Anita Manuma led off the inning with a single to right field and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Jennifer Lapicki then doubled down the left field line to score Manuma. Lapicki moved to third on a ground out and scored on a bunt single by Mogan, who beat out the throw at first.
UT added two more scores in the fourth. A lead-off walk and a single up the middle put runners on first and third with one out. A walk loaded the bases and with two outs, Doepking pulled through with a single up the middle to score both runs. Wilburn relieved Rife in the inning and was able to get out of the jam, as Tennessee left the bases loaded.
Virginia returns to action next weekend at the Jacksonville Invitational. The Cavaliers will play two games Friday against North Florida (12:15 p.m.) and Stony Brook (5 p.m.) in Jacksonville.