KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Freshman Taelyn Holley delivered a record-setting performance to lead No. 9 Tennessee to a 13-5, run-rule victory over Kennesaw State in five innings Wednesday night at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.
Holley went 4-for-4 with four doubles and four RBIs, setting a program record for doubles in a game. She surpassed the previous mark of three, which had been achieved four times, most recently by Zaida Puni in 2023.
Erin Nuwer got the start for the Lady Vols in the circle and earned the win after striking out nine over 4.1 innings, improving to 13-1 on the season. She finished the night allowing two hits with no walks.
Ella Dodge also powered the Lady Vols’ offense, going 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs.
Kennesaw State (7-29) struck first with a run in the first inning, but Tennessee (34-6) responded immediately. Gabby Leach led off the bottom of the first with a double, and Dodge followed with a two-run homer to give UT the lead. Doubles from Makenzie Butt and Holley later in the frame pushed the advantage to 3-1.
Tennessee added two runs in each of the second, third and fourth innings to build a commanding lead. In the fourth, consecutive doubles from Holley and McCall Sims extended the margin to 9-1 and put the Lady Vols within reach of the run rule.
Kennesaw State mounted a rally in the fifth, stringing together three hits, including back-to-back doubles by Macie Howes and Ana Gore, to score four runs and cut the deficit to 9-5.
The Lady Vols answered in the bottom half with four runs to end the game. Holley capped the night with her fourth double, driving in the final two runs for the walk-off victory.
McCall Sims and Zoie Shuler each recorded their first career hits for Tennessee. The Lady Vols finished with eight doubles as a team – its most in a game since hitting nine against Tennessee State in 2002.
DUE UP
Tennessee will hit the road for a border battle at Kentucky. The three-game series in Lexington is set for Saturday-Monday, April 11-13.
