KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Madison Shipman and Annie Aldrete had three RBIs apiece Saturday to lead the No. 4 Tennessee softball team to an 11-5 victory against Mississippi State.
The teams will wrap up the series at 12:30 p.m. today. MSU (34-15, 6-11 Southeastern Conference) will go for its second-straight SEC series victory against a ranked team. Last week, it beat then-No. 3 Alabama in Starkville.
Tennessee hit five home runs Saturday at Lee Stadium to even the series at one game apiece.
Senior Alison Owen (16-9) took the loss, throwing 1 2/3 innings, allowing 10 runs on eight hits and two walks. She struck out four. Senior Shana Sherrod entered for two innings and allowed a run on two hits and a walk. Sophomore Jacey Punches threw the remaining 2 1/3 innings, yielding three walks and striking out one.
Tennessee’s Erin Gabriel tossed an inning-plus and gave up three runs on two hits, a walk, and hit batter. Cheyanne Tarango (3-1) earned the win, throwing the next 4 2/3 innings. She surrendered two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out four. Rainey Gaffin pitched to one batter and walked her. Ellen Renfroe came in for the final four outs and yielded two singles and struck out three.
n On Friday, Lenahan’s two-run home run was the difference in MSU’s 2-0 victory.
With no hits through the first six innings, MSU broke through with four hits and two runs in the top of the seventh. Lenahan capped the uprising with a one-out, two-run home run off the scoreboard in left center to give Vann Stuedeman her 100th victory as the Bulldogs’ coach.
Freshman Alexis Silkwood (11-5) picked up the win in the complete-game performance. She struck out 11, tied for the third most in a Southeastern Conference game in program history. Silkwood allowed just three singles and walked a trio.
Renfroe (23-4) took the loss, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks. She also fanned eight in the complete-game performance.
The teams will play the finale at 12:30 p.m. today.
n No. 13 Missouri 9, Ole Miss 1, six innings: At Columbia, Mo., the Rebels (22-25, 3-15 Southeastern Conference) lost the series finale to the Tigers (35-12, 12-6) on Saturday.
Ole Miss scored in the sixth inning on junior third baseman Allison Brown’s sacrifice fly that allowed senior outfielder RT Cantillo to score her 32nd run of the year and the 123rd run of her career.
n On Friday, Ole Miss lost to No. 13 Missouri 5-3 and 2-0.
After taking a one-run lead in the top of the seventh, Ole Miss lost the series opener on a walk-off three-run home run. The Rebels then fell 2-0 in game two despite allowing just four hits against the Tigers, who entered the game with the second most hits in the Southeastern Conference.
Senior pitcher Carly Hummel threw a complete game in the nightcap, allowing one earned run and four hits. She didn’t walk a batter and struck out two.
Ole Miss will play host to LSU on Friday in Game 1 of a three-game weekend series. It will recognize its six seniors in the series, with two seniors honored prior to the start of each game. Cantillo and Shelby Jo Fenter will be recognized prior to Friday’s game, Carly Hummel and Londen Ladner will go Saturday, and Natalie Nimmo and Marina Parra will be honored prior to the finale Sunday.
n Alabama’s game Saturday canceled: At Chapel Hill, N.C., Inclement weather Saturday forced No. 7 Alabama’s game against North Carolina to be canceled.
n On Friday, Alabama broke its three-game losing streak with a 6-4 victory against Georgia Southern and a 4-3 victory against North Carolina.
Alabama (39-8) needed a walk-off home run to defeat Georgia Southern (30-15). It held off late rallies by North Carolina (22-23) to earn the one-run victory.
Kallie Case and Jadyn Spencer each earned four hits between the games, while Spencer, Kaila Hunt, and Marisa Runyon each hit home runs.
Alabama will play Tuesday at Southern Miss (22-23).
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