No.14 Tennessee loses 2-0 to Western Kentucky
On Tuesday night, No.14 Tennessee fell at home to Western Kentucky 2-0 for their sixth loss of the season.
On Tuesday night, No.14 Tennessee fell at home to Western Kentucky 2-0 for their sixth loss of the season.
Tennessee now (19-6) had to deal with one of the nation’s best pitchers at Lee Stadium. Western Kentucky’s Miranda Kramer (8-4) is ranked first in the country in strikeouts per seven innings (12.9), as well as 14th in total strikeouts with an impressive (130) heading in to Tuesday’s game against the Lady Vols.
Tennessee was no match for Kramer as she held the Lady Vols to just two hits over seven innings and added 14 more strikeouts to her season total. She also allowed three walks in her scoreless outing.
The Lady Vols sent Cheyanne Tarango (0-1) to the circle for her first start of the season, and she lasted 2.2 innings, giving up two hits and two runs which would prove to be all Western Kentucky needed to get the win. Tarango also walked one and recorded one strikeout. Rainey Gaffin pitched 2.1 innings of relief and had two strikeouts. Gretchen Aucoin pitched scoreless sixth and seventh innings and had one strikeout.
Western Kentucky took a 2-0 lead in the third inning when Larissa Franklin hit a ball to left with two outs scoring Jacqueline McGill on what wound up being a RBI triple for Franklin. Shawna Sadler followed that up with a RBI single to score Franklin.
Gaffin had a triple in the bottom of the third but was left stranded. Annie Aldrete was left stranded in the sixth after hitting a single. Those were the only two hits for the Lady Vols.
The Lady Vols will have their SEC home opening series starting Friday when they welcome No.18 Missouri to town. Friday and Saturday’s games can be seen on the SEC Network.
All stats via UTSports.com
Edited by Maggie Jones
Sam Forman is the lead sports staff writer for the Tennessee Journalist and is a senior studying Journalism and Electronic Media with a focus on sports broadcasting and reporting. He has been with TNJN since the fall of 2014. He is also a DJ for WUTK 90.3 fm. and a member of the Rock Solid Sports team. Sam has spent six years marching in the Pride of The Southland Marching Band. When he is not covering or talking sports, you can find him outdoors, playing music or hanging out with friends. You can find him on twitter: @samWforman
