McKenna Gibson – Page 3 – Syndication Server

Five Lady Vols receive preseason all-SEC softball honors

Five Lady Vols receive preseason all-SEC softball honors.

Five Tennessee softball players were named to the 2024 preseason All-Southeastern Conference Team.

Tennessee led SEC teams with five selections, chosen by the conference’s coaches.

Tennessee was represented on the team by pitchers Payton Gottshall and Karlyn Pickens, infielders Zaida Puni and McKenna Gibson and outfielder Kiki Milloy.

Gottshall (16-2) led the Lady Vols’ pitching staff with 29 appearances. She recorded a 1.65 ERA and 110 strikeouts in 110 innings.

Pickens pitched five complete games and recorded a 9-7 record.

Puni was a First-Team All-SEC standout last season. She was also a member of the Women’s College World Series All-Tournament Team.

Gibson started all 61 games for the Lady Vols last season, recording career-highs in home runs (15), RBIs (60), hits (59), runs (36) and doubles (11).

Milloy was a First-Team All-SEC performer and a member of the Women’s College World Series All-Tournament Team. She led all players with 25 home runs, which is also a Tennessee single-season record.

Three Lady Vols earn all-region softball honors

Three Lady Vols earn all-region softball honors.

Three Tennessee softball players have been named to the National Fast Pitch Coaches Association’s All-Region Team.

McKenna Gibson, Kiki Milloy and Ashley Rogers earned first-team honors when the NFCA announced its all-region teams, which honors players from the association’s 10 regions.

Gibson, the Lady Vols’ first baseman, recorded a .380 batting average, 15 home runs and 57 RBIs ahead of the NCAA Tournament.

Milloy enters the NCAA Tournament leading college softball with 23 home runs.

The senior is Tennessee’s leadoff hitter and holds the school’s all-time single-season record for home runs. In 2023, she was honored by the NFCA for the third time.

Rogers (16-1), a graduate student pitcher, recorded 160 strikeouts ahead of the NCAA Tournament.

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McKenna Gibson hits home run in fourth consecutive game

McKenna Gibson hits home run in fourth consecutive game for Tennessee.

No. 4 Tennessee (36-5, 14-2 SEC) defeated No. 13 Florida (32-11, 8-7 SEC), 9-1 in five innings, Saturday in the series opener at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.

McKenna Gibson went 3-for-3, recording one home run, one double, one triple, five RBIs and one run for the Lady Vols.

Gibson’s home run in the first inning gave Tennessee a 1-0 lead.

Skylar Wallace tied the game with a home run in the third inning for Florida.

Tennessee scored six runs in the third inning. Gibson hit a two-run double and Rylie West hit a grand slam.

Gibson hit a two-run triple in the fourth inning.

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Payton Gotshall (10-0) earned the win for Tennessee. She pitched 2.2 innings of scoreless relief, allowing one hit and recorded one strikeout.

Ashley Rogers started and pitched 2.1 innings. She surrendered three hits and one run, while recording three strikeouts.

Lady Vols run-rule Kentucky for series sweep

Tennessee softball run-rules Kentucky for series sweep.

No. 7 Tennessee (34-5, 13-2 SEC) defeated No. 17 Kentucky (25-13-1. 7-8 SEC), 15-1 in five innings, Sunday at John Cropp Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky.

With the victory, Tennessee earned a sweep pf the Wildcats.

Tennessee opened a 6-0 lead by scoring three runs in first and second innings respectively.

Kiki Milloy led off the game with a home run for the Lady Vols. Zaida Puni hit an RBI single and Rylie West drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0.

McKenna Gibson hit a three-run home run in the second inning.

Gibson, who went 4-for-4 with three runs and six RBIs, hit a three-run home run in the fourth inning. Mackenzie Donihoo recorded an RBI with a sacrifice fly.

After the Wildcats scored in the fourth inning, Tennessee scored five runs in the fifth inning. Milloy hit her second home run of the contest and Rylie West had a two-run single.

Payton Gottshall (9-0) pitched a five-inning complete game for Tennessee. She allowed one run and one hit, while recording seven strikeouts.

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