KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Drew Gilbert hit a pair of home runs to lead No. 14 Tennessee to a 9-3 win over UNC Greensboro on Sunday afternoon at Lindsey Nelson Stadium, capping another series sweep for the Volunteers.

Gilbert hit a solo shot in the third inning and then put an exclamation point on the weekend with a grand slam in the bottom of the eighth to give UT a 9-3 lead. It was the second multi-homer game for Gilbert this season as the sophomore finished with a career high five runs batted in.

Junior second baseman Max Ferguson capped a successful weekend with his second multi-hit performance of the series, setting a career high with three hits. He scored a run, had an RBI and stole three bases, as well. Fellow junior Connor Pavolony also had a nice day at the plate with two hits, an RBI and two runs scored.

Freshman right hander Blade Tidwell was solid once again on the mound with six strong innings to earn his second win in as many starts. The Loretto, Tennessee, native gave up two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out six batters.

Spartans’ starter Jacob Mathewson dropped to 2-2 on the year after giving up three runs on four hits in three innings of work. Corey Rosier and Daniel Cerda both had two hits and drove in a run to lead the UNCG attack.

With Sunday’s victory, Tennessee (14-3) has recorded back-to-back series sweeps and three total sweeps this season. The Big Orange took all three games from Georgia State last weekend after opening the season with three wins at Georgia Southern.

The Vols will play one more non-conference game before starting SEC play next weekend as they host in-state foe ETSU on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. The game will be streamed on Watch ESPN and the ESPN app.

NOTABLE

#GILLYGOOBOMBS: Sophomore outfielder Drew Gilbert posted his second multi-homer game of the season in Sunday’s win and now leads the team with five four baggers on the year. The Stillwater, Minnesota, native also had a pair of home runs in Tennessee’s 5-3 win at Georgia Southern on Feb. 20. Gilbert’s grand slam in the eighth inning was the first of his collegiate career and the second for the Vols this season.

FERGIE’S BACK: After struggling to find his groove in the first few weeks of the season, Max Ferguson broke out in a big way this weekend. The athletic sophomore led the team with a .545 batting average, six hits, two doubles and three stolen bases in the series, including a 3-for-4 day at the plate on Sunday afternoon.

Ferguson is now batting .288 on the year after entering the series with a .229 average. The Florida native also hit his second home run of the season in Friday’s 6-2 win in the series opener.

TIDWELL CONTINUES TO IMPRESS: Blade Tidwell continued to show why he’s been in the Vols’ weekend rotation as a true freshman with another quality start on Sunday. Tidwell improved to 2-1 on the year after pitching six solid innings. Over his last two starts, the big right hander is 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 12.0 innings pitched.

Box Score (PDF) | Series Stats | DOWNLOAD: Postgame Media Video (Vitello, Tidwell & Gilbert)

-UT Athletics

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Three long balls and a solid performance in the circle from LSU was too much for the No. 22 Tennessee softball team to overcome, as it fell to the 12th-ranked Tigers, 11-3, on Sunday at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.

Tennessee (18-3, 1-2 SEC) struggled at the plate, generating just five hits, with none of them going for extra bases, while LSU (15-7, 2-1 SEC) finished with 10 hits and 10 RBI as a team.

LSU struck first in the opening inning, plating three runs on three hits, highlighted by a two-run homer from Georgia Clark, to put the Tigers up 3-0 just a half inning into the afternoon.

The Tigers struck again in the third, tacking on three more on a two-run shot from Amanda Doyle and an RBI single from Morgan Cummins, doubled the LSU lead to 6-0.

LSU posted a five-run fourth to extend its lead to 11-0, on the verge of claiming a run-rule victory.

Tennessee scored a trio of consolation runs in the bottom half of the fifth, coming within a whisker of extending the afternoon, but instead cementing the days final score.

UP NEXT
Tennessee returns to action for a Tuesday afternoon doubleheader with in-state foe Bellarmine. First pitch for game one is slated for 2 p.m. ET on SEC Network+.

PDF Box Score

-UT Athletics

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – After over a year of waiting, the No. 22 Tennessee softball team opened up SEC play with a split doubleheader with No. 12 LSU on Saturday at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.

LSU (14-7, 1-1 SEC) took game one, 2-1, in eight innings, before Tennessee (18-2, 1-1 SEC) responded with a win in game two, 4-3, also in eight innings.

Junior standout, Ashley Rogers was stellar in the circle once again, tossing nine total innings, finishing the day with 11 strikeouts and no walks.

Senior third baseman Chelsea Seggern was consistent at the dish, finishing the day, 4-for-7, with a home run and a pair of RBI’s.

Classmate Ivy Davis finished 3-for-7 finishing the day with the all-important game-winning blast to give the ORange & White the victory in the second game of the day.

Game 1 Tennessee 1 LSU 2 F/8
Despite a stellar effort from Rogers, the Lady Vols were unable to manufacture the needed runs to walk away with a victory in the opening game of the series.

Rogers gave up just four hits and two earned runs in a complete game eight inning effort, while fanning 11 batters. Her performance marked her fifth game with double-digit strikeouts in just 10 starts.

She was slightly outdueled by the combined effort of Shelbi Sunseri and Ali Kilponen.

The opening four innings saw little action at the dish, with those in the circle controlling the opening contests ebbs and flows.

In the top half of the fifth, LSU struck first on a dribbler down the first base line. The runner on second found her way home on a tough throwing error from Rogers.

In the home half of the sixth, Cailin Hannon smashed a solo rope over the centerfield wall to even the score at 1-1.

The contest eventually went to extras and in the top of the eighth, LSU’s Taylor Pleasants belted one into the stands in left to give the Tigers a 2-1 advantage.

Kilponen held off the Lady Vols final comeback bid to cement the game one final score.

Game 2 Tennessee 4 LSU 3 F/8
Tennessee pitched by committee, giving up just three runs on four hits in eight innings of work.

The Lady Vol bats opened game two with vigor. After Ayala walked, Seggern took matters into her own bat and sent one into the left field bleachers to give UT an instant 2-0 lead.

Two innings later, LSU cut the Lady Vol lead in half on throwing error from Callie Turner that allowed Aliyah Andrews to score.

In the fifth inning, the Tigers took their first lead of the days second contest on a one out triple from Andrews to tie it, before the centerfielder scored on a ground out on the ensuing at-bat.

Entering the nights final regulation inning, trailing 3-2, the Lady Vols manufactured the tying run to send a second consecutive contest to extras.

Madison Webber opened the inning with a single to right. Freshman Rylie West came in to pinch hit and ripped a double to center to put runners on second and third with no outs.

One batter later, Hannon grounded out to first, scoring pinch runner Hanna Fox to knot things up.

After Rogers came in and shut things down in the top of the eight, Davis went yard on the second pitch of her at-bat, ending the marathon day.

UP NEXT
Tennessee returns for the rubber match of the its SEC opening series with LSU tomorrow afternoon. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. ET on SEC Network+.

Game One PDF Box | Game Two PDF Box | Karen Weekly and Ivy Davis Postgame |

-UT Athletics