Vols Seal the Series in Style — No. 6 Tennessee Softball Crushes No. 15 Mississippi State 8-0 in Five Innings Behind Dominant Pitching and Explosive Offense
No. 6 Tennessee softball put an emphatic stamp on its series against No. 15 Mississippi State, dominating in an 8-0 run-rule victory Sunday afternoon in just five innings.
With the win, the Lady Vols sealed the series and showcased their potential as a national contender.
Tennessee’s offense exploded early, putting up five runs in the first two innings and never looking back. Kiki Milloy sparked the attack with a leadoff double, later scoring on a sac fly. Zaida Puni and McKenna Gibson added RBI hits to keep the momentum rolling.
But it wasn’t just the bats that did the talking — the pitching was lights-out. Payton Gottshall tossed a gem, going the distance with a complete-game shutout. She allowed just three hits while striking out seven and walking none, keeping the Bulldogs off balance all afternoon.
Defensively, Tennessee was flawless, backing up Gottshall with clean plays in the field and turning a key double play in the third to halt a potential Mississippi State rally.
In the bottom of the fifth, with the run-rule looming, the Vols put it away. Katie Taylor’s RBI double extended the lead to 7-0 before Milloy capped it off with a walk-off RBI single, sending the fans at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium into a frenzy.
With the victory, Tennessee improves to 36-7 (13-5 SEC) and continues to build momentum heading into the final stretch of the regular season. The Vols not only secured the series win but made a powerful statement with their all-around dominance.
This team is firing on all cylinders — and with the postseason approaching, the rest of the SEC is officially on notice.
