Tennessee sophomore infielder Lair Beautae singled to right field for two runs batted in; she scored senior outfielder Kiki Millroy and sophomore outfielder Katie Taylor.
Beautae’s single completed a seven-run inning for the Lady Volunteers and took the lead from the Gators.
The No. 13 Florida Gators (32-13, 8-9 SEC) lost to the No. 4 Tennessee Volunteers (37-5, 15-2 SEC) 11-10 on the road Sunday evening in Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.
Lady Vols freshman pitcher Karlyn Pickens started in the circle for Tennessee Sunday. Pickens walked Wallace and Falby to start the top half of the first.
Echols brought Wallace home for the Gators’ first run of the day with a single up the middle.
Walsh singled to center field, and Falby advanced to third. She then scored on a throwing error from center field to extend UF’s lead to 2-0. Graduate student utility player Pal Egan flied out to left field, which brought Echols home for the third run in the inning.
Sophomore catcher Sam Roe grounded out to second base to advance Walsh to third. Pickens then walked her third batter of the evening, junior outfielder Katie Kistler. Gators senior utility player Sarah Longley singled through the left side and drove Walsh home to end the top of the first with a four-run lead.
Senior left-handed pitcher Rylee Trlicek started in the circle for Florida. Trlicek walked sophomore infielder Lair Beautae in the bottom half. Lady Vols sophomore infielder McKenna Gibson singled through the left side to advance Beautae to second base.
Junior infielder Zaida Puni homered to left field to drive in three runs and end the bottom of the first inning with a one-run deficit.
Pickens walked junior first baseman Avery Goelz and was replaced by sophomore pitcher Nicola Simpson. Echols singled up the middle, and Walsh doubled to left field to score Echols and Goelz to give Florida a 5-3 lead.
Trlicek retired the side in order 1-2-3 and held the Lady Vols scoreless through the bottom half of the second.
Roe reached on a fielding error and Kistler reached on a fielder's choice to lead off the Gators, but Roe was caught out at second.
Junior pitcher Ryleigh White replaced Simpson in the top of the third.
White walked Longley to advance Kistler to second. Longley was caught out after Goelz reached on a fielder's choice to third base. Wallace singled up the middle and brought Kistler home to up the score to 7-3.
Freshman pitcher Charli Orsini replaced White in the third. Falby singled to Orsini to drive in Goelz and push the lead to 7-3. Trlicek let up one walk for the Lady Vols but held them scoreless to end the inning.
Orsini walked Egan to start the top of the fourth, but a Kistler fly out ended the top with a runner left on base. Goelz ended the inning with a double play on a dribbler down the first-base line from freshman outfielder Jamison Brockenbro.
Goelz singled to left field; she then advanced to second after Wallace was hit by a pitch to start off the top half of the fifth. Falby reached on a fielder's choice to third base. Goelz failed to score a run as she was caught out at third.
Orsini walked Echols to load the bases. Walsh reached on a fielder's choice by Lady Vols shortstop and brought Falby and Wallace home to extend UF’s lead to 9-3.
Milloy homered to center field to up the Lady Vols’ score to 9-4 to end the bottom half of the fifth.
Tennessee held Florida scoreless through the sixth inning, which kept it from adding to its five-run lead. Trlicek hit Puni with a pitch, and freshman outfielder Brylee Mesusan pinch ran for Puni. Senior infielder Makenzie Donihoo singled to left field and advanced Mesusan to third.
Lady Vols junior infielder Giulia Koutsoyanopulos reached on a fielding error by third baseman and brought Mesusan home to up the score to 9-5. Junior catcher Rylie West doubled to center field, and Koutsoyanopulos and Mesusan scored, which brought Tennessee within two.
Graduate student right-handed pitcher Elizabeth Hightower replaced sophomore right-handed pitcher Lexi Delbrey after just one pitch. Hightower hit Taylor with a pitch to load the bases. Millroy doubled down the left-field line to bring freshman outfielder Amanda Ahlin and West home to tie the game at nine apiece.
Beautae singled to right field for two runs batted in; Millroy and Taylor scored to extend the lead to 11-9.
Wallace homered to center field to lead off for the Gators in the top of the seventh. Tennessee senior pitcher Payton Gottshall replaced Orsini and walked Falby.
Echols flied out to left field, and Falby advanced to second on a throwing error, but Walsh and Egan struck out to end the game with Florida down by one run.
UF will finish its series against the Lady Vols at 7 p.m. Monday. The game will be streamed via SEC Network.
Contact Alyssa Britton-Harr abritton-harr@alligator.org. Follow her on Twitter @abrittonharr.
Alyssa Britton-Harr is a second-year journalism major and a sports reporter for The Alligator. In her free time, she enjoys cheering on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and spending time with her friends.
