KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Sophomore Lexi Overstreet hit a two-run homer and senior Ellen Renfroe struck out 10 over seven shutout frames to power No. 10 seed Tennessee softball to a 2-0 victory over Lipscomb in Game 6 of the Knoxville Regional to advances the NCAA Super Regionals for the seventh time in program history.
Tennessee (45-10) is headed to the NCAA Super Regionals for the third consecutive year. UT will go to Norman, Okla., for the Norman Super Regional, hosted by defending national champion Oklahoma. The NCAA Super Regionals run from May 22-25. The exact dates of the Norman Super Regional will be announced later tonight.
With the victory, Tennessee extended its winning streak against in-state rivals to 81 games. Ralph Weekly and Karen Weeklyhave led UT to a perfect 76-0 record against in-state opponents. The Lady Vols are 110-3 all-time against teams from the state of Tennessee.
Overstreet had the hit of the game with a two-run shot in the sixth. Melissa Davin went 2-for-3 in the win, including a seventh-inning triple down the right field line in her final at-bat at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.
Renfroe (29-6) limited Lipscomb (41-15) to just three hits over seven shutout innings. In her final game at Lee Stadium, Renfroe displayed incredible command of the ball, putting on a pitching display one more time for the home crowd with 10 strikeouts.
For much of the game, Renfroe was locked in a pitching duel with Lipscomb’s Ashley Anderson (20-8), who took the loss after allowing five hits and two earned runs over seven solid frames.
After five scoreless innings, sophomore Haley Tobler led off the sixth inning with a single through the left side. On a 1-1 count, Overstreet clobbered a pitch over the plate to right center, breaking the stalemate and igniting the crowd with her eighth home run of the season.
Lipscomb’s best shot at coming back was in the sixth when Paige Neely knocked a two-out double down the left field line. Renfroe got out of the inning with a flyout to center.
Tennessee will make its seventh trip to NCAA Super Regionals. The Lady Vols have advanced to the Women’s College World Series in each of their previous six trips to Super Regionals. This year’s trip to Norman marks UT’s third road Super Regional after winning the 2005 Palo Alto Super Regional and the 2010 Ann Arbor Super Regional, going 2-0 in both. Tennessee’s all-time record in Super Regionals is 12-3.
Photo and release courtesy of Tennessee Sports Information
