No. 6 Lady Vols softball defeats Virginia Tech by run rule

No. 6 Tennessee rebounded from two losses to Baylor by defeating No. 17 Virginia Tech 11-0 in five innings. Starting pitcher Ashley Rogers threw four scoreless innings, allowing only one hit during her outing. McKenna Gibson and Giulia Koutsoyanopulos each drove in three runs in the win, with Gibson doing so on a three-run home run. 

Emma Lemley started for Virginia Tech in the circle. Kiki Milloy opened the contest with an eight-pitch walk. Milloy stole second base and advanced to third on a throwing error. Gibson was hit in the ankle with one out. Zaida Puni sent an RBI double off the left field wall, driving in Milloy. A Rylie West sacrifice fly brought in Gibson. Mackenzie Donihoo walked to give the Lady Vols a second baserunner. Koutsoyanopulos drove both runners in with a double off the wall in left-center. 

Cameron Fagan was the first baserunner for the Hokies after a one-out infield single. Rogers worked around the runner by throwing two consecutive strikeouts.

Amanda Ahlin led off the second inning with an infield base hit. Milloy was hit by a pitch and reached base as well. Gibson drove in both runners with a three-run home run over the center field wall. A Puni single and two walks loaded the bases for Tennessee, but Katie Taylor grounded out to strand all three runners. Rogers struck out two batters on her way to sending the Hokies down in order.

Both sides went down in order in the third inning. A Gibson single and Puni double gave the Lady Vols two runners in scoring position with no outs in the fourth inning. Donihoo bunted for a single, but neither runner could advance. Koutsoyanopulos drove in a run with her groundout. Katie Taylor drove in both Puni and Donihoo with a double. Bre Peck walked with one out to become the first Hokie to reach base since the first inning, but two straight outs recorded by Rogers left Peck stranded.

Milloy reached on a fielding error and stole second base in the top of the fifth inning. Puni drove Milloy in with a double. Karlyn Pickens entered to pitch the fifth inning and sent the Hokies down in order to complete her lone inning of work. The win was the twelfth win by run rule for Tennessee, while it was the first time Virginia Tech lost due to the run rule.

Although Milloy did not record a hit, she still reached base three times and scored on each occasion. Gibson, Puni and Donihoo scored twice each.

The Lady Vols will play Kentucky in a three-game set in Lexington, beginning on Friday evening. The Hokies will attempt to rebound from the loss when they travel to South Bend to play Notre Dame.