KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 9 Tennessee run-ruled ETSU, 12-0, in five innings Tuesday night at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.
Tennessee (33-6) had three different Lady Vols mash four home runs on the night. The trio included Emma Clarke with two, as well as Gabby Leach and Maddi Rutan with one apiece.
Three Lady Vols had perfect nights at the plate as UT scattered 12 hits. Clarke went three-for-three with two homers and three RBIs, while Leach and Faw each went two-for-two. Leach recorded a double and two RBIs in addition to her homer, while Faw posted two singles and an RBI.
Sage Mardjetko surpassed 100 strikeouts on the year with 13 on the night. She held ETSU (15-17) scoreless, limiting them to one hit and two walks across five innings. The junior’s dominant showing earned her eighth win of the year.
The Lady Vols wasted no time taking the lead. Tennessee got on base with a leadoff walk from Leach and a single by Clarke. A single up the middle by Elsa Morrison scored Leach to put the Big Orange on the board early.
Tennessee kept the momentum going with walks by Meredith Barnhart and Makenzie Butt to tack on another run. A sac fly from Taelyn Holley and a single by Faw extended the lead to 4-0.
A pair of homers propelled the Lady Vols to a 7-0 lead to start the second. Leach proved once again to be clutch in the leadoff spot as she blasted a homer to right field for her seventh of the year. Clarke quickly responded with a two-run blast over the scoreboard.
Back-to-back doubles from Saviya Morgan and Leach gave way to another Lady Vol run to in the third.
Later, Clarke fired her second Big Orange blast of the night and eighth of the year to lead off the fourth. Jackie Kirkpatrick reached on a walk and rounded the bases on a double by Butt to add Tennessee’s tenth run of the game.
Rutan homered to tack on a pair of runs for the Lady Vols later in the frame to cap the year.
DUE UP
Tennessee will be back in action Tuesday night for another midweek contest against Kennesaw State. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. ET on SEC Network+.
