OKLAHOMA CITY — Tennessee softball won their opening game of the College World Series on Thursday, 10-5, over Alabama.
The No. 4 Lady Vols put it on the No. 5 Crimson Tide in the second inning. Katie Taylor got things started with a two-RBI double to put UT up 2-0. After Alabama chose to walk Kiki Milloy, Zaida Puni came up to bat and also hit a two-RBI double to make it 4-0.
Alabama's Ally Shipman, who used to play for Tennessee, drove in the first run for the Crimson Tide in the third inning to make it 4-1. Kenleigh Cahalan drove in a run after that with a ball that bounced off the first base bag, which trimmed the lead to 4-2.
Jamison Brockenbrough extended the Tennessee lead with a two-run home run in the bottom of the third inning for a 6-2 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, McKenna Gibson hit an RBI double to make it 7-2. Rylie West batted next and smacked a three-run home run for a 10-2 lead.
Alabama avoided a run-rule loss in the fifth inning when Cahalan hit a two-RBI double to make it 10-4. Marlie Giles hit a solo home run in the sixth inning to cut the lead to 10-5.
The Lady Vols wouldn't let the deficit shrink more than that and got the win 10-5 win.
With the win, Tennessee moves on to the winner's bracket of the College World Series. They play No. 1 Oklahoma next on Saturday at 3 p.m.
Oklahoma is first in the nation in Earned Run Average, Tennessee is second. Oklahoma is first in the nation ins coring, Tennessee is second.
