Tennessee Dominates Florida to Stay Alive in Women’s College World Series

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – The No. 7 Tennessee Lady Vols avoided elimination with an impressive 11-3 victory over No. 3 Florida in the Women's College World Series on May 30. Tennessee scored seven runs in the first inning alone, putting the game in run-rule territory early.

The Lady Vols displayed their offensive strength right from the start. Gabby Leach led off the first inning with a triple, setting the tone for Tennessee. Fellow teammates Taylor Pannell, Ella Dodge, and Sophia Nugent followed with three consecutive singles, bringing Leach home.

Despite the initial dominance, Florida’s head coach promptly replaced starter Kara Hammond with Ava Brown after Tennessee loaded the bases. Brown’s first at-bat saw her walk McKenna Gibson, extending the lead to 2-0, followed by Laura Mealer’s single for another run.

Alannah Leach then delivered a bases-clearing double, reaching third on the throw, making the score 7-0. Tennessee continued to add to their lead in the second inning with home runs from Nugent and Gibson.

Florida attempted a comeback in the fourth inning, hitting back-to-back home runs that cut Tennessee’s lead to 10-3. However, it was not enough as Tennessee would secure the win and finish the game in five innings.

The Lady Vols will face the loser of the game between No. 12 Texas Tech and No. 9 UCLA on June 1 at 3 p.m. ET. This victory underscores Tennessee’s determination to remain competitive in the tournament.