KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – No. 1-ranked Florida fell 5-1 to No. 8 Tennessee in front of a Sherri Parker Lee Stadium record crowd during the series finale. The Gators took the series 2-1 in Knoxville for the first time since 2012 with a pair of back-to-back shutouts to start the series.

Florida (46-4, 20-3 SEC) started strong against Tennessee (42-8, 14-6 SEC) hurler Matty Moss as Amanda Lorenz reached via a walk and Nicole DeWitt followed up with a single to left field in the first two at-bats. With one out, the Volunteers rallied to turn 6-4-3 double play end the inning.

Junior Aleshia Ocasio (8-1) received her first start and fifth appearance in conference play and went on to retire the Volunteers in order in the bottom of the frame.

The Gators went on to tally three extra base hits in the game, a pair of doubles and a home run. The home run came in the second inning when freshman Jordan Roberts belted her seventh of the season over the wall in left center field.

In the following at-bat Ocasio ripped a double to right center field. Tennessee quickly went to the bullpen to make a change and bring in Caylan Arnold. Arnold went on to retire the next three Florida batters and end the threat.

After that both teams settled into a pitcher's duel between Ocasio and Arnold for the next three innings.

It wasn't until the bottom of the fifth inning with two outs that the Volunteers threatened with a runner in scoring position.  A pair of hits and a walk loaded the bases for Megan Geer who put Tennessee ahead for the first time all weekend with a grand slam to left field.

That was only the third home run surrendered by the Gators pitching staff all season.

Florida continued to battle at the plate and in the next inning threatend as Kayli Kvistad drew her 54^th walk of the season. Jacqui Switzer entered to pinch run and Janell Wheaton immediately put the Gators in position to tie the game with her double down the left field line.  However, Arnold buckled down in the circle to end the threat and the next two Gators.

Tennessee went to tack on an unearned run in the sixth via an RBI single from CJ McLain.

Despite the loss, the Gators end the 2017 SEC regular season with its third straight regular season championship and its best finish in conference play since 2009 when the program recorded a 26-1 record.

"I feel that we had a good weekend but we just didn't play great today." Head Coach Tim Walton stated.

Next up for the Gators is the Fresh from Florida Sunshine Showdown against No. 2 Florida State Wednesday, May 3 at 7 p.m. on the ACC Network Extra.

Notables:

• Florida won its 14^th series over Tennessee and second in a row with the 2-1 series outcome.
  • The all-time record against the Volunteers now stands at 49-26 and 27-13 under head coach Tim Walton.
• The 20-3 record in SEC play this season is the third best winning percentage in program history.
  • The Gators went 27-1 in 2008 and 26-1 in 2009.
• The Gators snapped a streak of 47.0 scoreless inning streak in SEC play in the bottom of the sixth inning with two outs.
  • Megan Geer hit a grand slam, only the third home run given up all season, to put the Volunteers ahead 4-1.
• Jordan Roberts cranked her seventh home run of the season, which pushes her up to in a tie for eighth place amongst freshmen in the Florida record book.
  • Tiffany DeFelice hit seven in 2008.
• Kvistad drew her 54^th walk of the season, which puts her ranked second overall in the nation behind Oklahoma State's Rylee Bayless (58).

 
FOLLOW THE GATORS
FloridaGators.com
Twitter
Head Coach Tim Walton on Twitter
Facebook