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Top-Ranked Tennessee Blanks Furman In NCAA Regional Opener, 8-0
May 18, 2007
Knoxville, Tenn. - Tennessee's Monica Abbott and Megan Rhodes combined to toss a six-inning, perfect game as the Lady Vols blanked Furman 8-0 in the first round of the NCAA Knoxville Regional Friday afternoon at Tyson Park.
Abbott, the NCAA's career strikeouts leader, fanned 13 batters in five innings to earn the victory and improve to 42-3 on the season.
"That's why Tennessee is one of the top teams in the country," said Furman head coach Dana Jenkins. "Monica Abbott is a phenomenal pitcher and they knew when to turn it on at the plate as well."
Tennessee opened the scoring with two runs in the bottom of the second. Tiffany Huff opened the frame with a double to left-center. Anita Manuma drew a one-out walk to give the Lady Vols runners at first and second before Liane Horiuchi singled to right to load the bases. Pinch hitter Alexia Clay singled to right to give Tennessee a 1-0 lead, but Meredith Mielke fired a strike to the plate to throw out Manuma for the second out. India Chiles reached on a Brythe Blankenship error to allow Horiuchi to score form third and up the lead to 2-0. Blake Murray fanned Lillian Hammond to strand runners at second and third.
The Lady Vols threatened to add to the lead in the third. Tonya Callahan drew a one-out walk and moved to third on Huff's single up the middle. Shannon Doepking bounced out to short and Lynn Parmer fired to Megan Jaudon to cut down pinch runner Caitlin Ryan at the plate for the double play.
Tennessee started another rally in the fifth. Hammond was hit by a pitch with one out and Schutzler singled through the left side. Callahan singled to right and Tennessee was caught with runners near the same base, but a throwing error allowed Hammond to score. Huff followed with a single to left before Doepking belted a three-run homer to left to give the Lady Vols a 7-0 lead.
Hammond chopped a single over Abby Robertson's head to open the bottom of the sixth and Schutzler reached when Hammond was erased on a fielder's choice. Callahan lined out to Danielle Franklin who made a diving catch for the second out, but the inning continued when Danielle Pieroni reached on an error. Jennifer Griffin drew a walk to load the bases and Erinn Webb singled to left to drive in the eighth run for the mercy rule.
Huff went 3-for-3 with two runs and an RBI to pace the Lady Vols. Blake Murray (10-18) suffered the loss for Furman allowing six earned runs on 12 hits in 5.2 innings of work.
Furman (21-35-1) drops into the loser's bracket and will face Big South champion Winthrop in an elimination game at 4 p.m. on Saturday. Tennessee (55-5) advances to face North Carolina in the winner's bracket at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.
