KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Freshman Erin Coffel launched two home runs and had six runs batted in tying the school record in both categories, helping lead No. 7 Kentucky to a 13-2 win in five innings over No. 18 Tennessee.
Coffel wasn’t the only one who got in on the long ball Saturday night, as Rylea Smith and Renee Abernathy also launched two-run home runs, as Kentucky scored 10 runs via the home run. Smith’s long ball came as she was bumped up to the No. 2 spot in the lineup, and her three-run shot was her third-career home run.
Abernathy, who like Smith, also hit a home run on Monday night vs. Alabama, also went yard as she hit a two-run shot as UK’s lead ballooned to double digits. Abernathy also made a terrific catch in centerfield in the bottom of the third on lead-off batter Amanda Ayala to keep the Lady Vol offense at bay.
The win for Kentucky evens the series, setting up a rubber match on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET on ESPNU with Beth Mowins and Michele Smith on the call. It will be Kentucky’s second-straight rubber match in two weeks.
Kentucky’s 13 runs in the most ever scored vs. Tennessee in program history. The previous high was 10 that was scored back in a 10-2 win in May of 2000. UK will be going for a first-ever win over Tennessee in Knoxville in program history on Sunday afternoon.
No. 7 Kentucky now sports a 27-5 record on the season, and is 4-4 in the Southeastern Conference. Tennessee with the loss falls to 27-6, 3-5 SEC.
