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ATHENS, Ga. — The 11th-ranked Tennessee softball team jumped out to an early lead in Sunday’s series finale at No. 16 Georgia, but the Bulldogs stormed back to take game three and win the series with a 12-4 run-rule victory in five innings at Jack Turner Softball Stadium.
Lady Vol All-American Kiki Milloy stood out for Tennessee at the plate, crushing a leadoff home run in the first and roping a go-ahead double in the second as part of a two-for-three performance. The junior from Woodinville, Washington, has reached base in 31 consecutive games, the longest streak by a Lady Vol since 2018. She also stood out defensively in center field with a pair of leaping grabs that saved extra bases for the Bulldogs.
Tennessee (26-12, 8-6 SEC) drew first blood in the top of the first with a leadoff moon shot by Milloy, who belted a 3-1 pitch high and deep to left for her team-high 12th home run of the year and fourth leadoff bomb of the season.
Georgia (33-8, 7-5 SEC) responded with back-to-back homers in the bottom of the first to gain a 3-1 lead on the Lady Vols. After leadoff hitter Savana Sikes reached on a walk, junior infielder Sydney Kuma lined a pitch over the left field wall for a two-run blast before senior DP Lacey Fincher launched a ball over the scoreboard for a solo shot. Rogers ended the first with back-to-back strikeouts, looking and swinging, to strand Bulldog runners on first and second and prevent any further damage.
The Lady Vols took the lead right back in the top of the second on two consecutive RBI doubles. Super senior shortstop Ivy Davis roped a two-bagger to left center that brought home Rylie West and McKenna Gibson, before Milloy rocketed her double off the wall in right center to trade places with Davis and make it a 4-3 Tennessee edge.
Kuma continued her powerful performance with a solo shot in the bottom of the second to tie it up, then junior first baseman Jaiden Fields brought in two more with a double to deep center that put the Bulldogs on top 6-4. After a Tennessee pitching change, rookie catcher Lyndi Rae Davis roped an RBI single to left that put UGA up 7-4 through two.
Georgia added four more in the third, with senior outfielder CJ Landrum scoring on a wild pitch before Fincher tanked her second homer of the ballgame to right field for a three-run blast.
After a scoreless fourth for both sides, the Lady Vols were sat down in order in the top of the fifth to set up a run-rule opportunity for the Bulldogs. With runners on the corners and one out, Fields stepped in and delivered the game-ending single to right center as Kuma crossed the plate to secure UGA’s series win.
UP NEXT: Tennessee’s four-game road swing concludes Wednesday with a trip to the Appalachian Mountains for a midweek non-conference matchup at Western Carolina. The game is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will be broadcasted online via ESPN+.
-UT Athletics
