(Photo Courtesy of Tennessee Athletics)
FULLERTON, Calif. — Madison Shipman and Lexi Overstreet smashed first-inning home runs as No. 2 Tennessee captured an 8-4 victory at Cal State Fullerton on Tuesday night. Freshman Annie Aldrete also homered in the fourth inning and drove in three runs. Shipman also had three RBIs.
The Lady Vols remained perfect at 14-0 as they continued their California road trip. Tennessee heads to San Diego State for five games starting this Thursday to wrap up the week-long trip. Starting the year with 14 wins in row is Tennessee’s best run since beginning the 2008 season with 23 wins in a row.
Cal State Fullerton (11-6) also clubbed three home runs in defeat and is now 11-6.
Reigning SEC Pitcher of the Week Ellen Renfroe moved to 8-0 on the season as she tossed her seventh complete game of the season. She struck out nine and allowed six hits — three of which were home runs.
The second batter of the game, Shipman homered to center field to put the Lady Vols ahead 1-0. Four batters later Overstreet put one over the left field fence to bring home Aldrete and Melissa Davin, who had walked earlier in the first inning.
Fullerton got on the board as Samantha Galarza took Renfroe deep in the bottom of the second, cutting UT’s lead to 4-1.
Aldrete drove a pitch from Christina Washington to center field for the second homer of her college career, bringing home Shipmen for a 6-1 Lady Vols advantage in the fourth.
Tennessee pushed two more runs across the board in the sixth on an Aldrete sacrifice fly and a Taylor Koenig RBI single.
Fullerton’s Eliza Crawford hit the game’s fifth home run for a solo shot in the seventh, making it 8-2 Lady Vols. An inning later, Lauren Mario poked a two-run home run over the fence, cutting UT’s lead in half, 8-4.
Shipman and Overstreet each had two hits in the game, including their homers.
Tennessee has won the last three games in the series with Fullerton to even the all-time series, 3-3.
The Lady Vols begin play in San Diego against BYU on Thursday at 4 p.m. ET. Listen to the action on UTSports.com
