Knoxville, Tenn. – No. 21 Tennessee rallied from a three-run deficit with an eight-run sixth inning in game one and erased a 2-1 Furman lead with a six-run sixth inning in game two as the Lady Vols swept the Paladins, 11-4, 7-2 in non-conference softball action Monday afternoon at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn.
 
Game 1: No. 21 Tennessee 11, Furman 4
 
Furman built a 4-1 lead in game one, but Tennessee rallied for eight runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, highlighted by Cailin Hannon's go-ahead grand slam, to propel the Lady Vols to an 11-4 win.
 
Freshman Claire Ginder belted a solo home run over the centerfield fence in the top of the first to put the Paladins in front before a two-out error plated Natalie Morgan and Kaitlyn Laudick lined an RBI single to right field to up the Furman advantage to 3-0 in the top of the second inning. After the Lady Vols answered with a run in the bottom of the second, Shelby Basso tossed back-to-back scoreless frames to help the Paladins carry a 3-1 lead into the fifth.
 
In the top of the fifth inning, Emily Bartlett hammered a solo home run to the opposite field, her fourth homer of the season, to extend the lead to 4-1. Tennessee started its rally in the bottom of the fifth as leadoff hitter Amanda Ayala homered and Hannon scored on Ashley Morgan's two-out single to second base after reaching on a double to trim the Furman lead to 4-3.
 
A single, double and walk loaded the bases for the Lady Vols in the bottom of the sixth before Ayala tied the game on a bases loaded free pass. Hannon followed with a grand slam to left to put Tennessee in front 8-4. Morgan drove in another run with a single and Ally Shipman lined a two-run double to left-center to increase the margin to 11-4.
 
Reliever Ashley Rogers, who entered the game in the sixth, retired the Paladins in order in the seventh to improve to 12-4 in the circle. She fanned four baters in two perfect innings.
 
Shipman went 3-for-3 with three RBI, while Hannon finished 2-for-4 with four RBI to pace the Lady Vols' offense. Morgan went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Paladins.
 
Basso (2-4) suffered the loss after allowing nine runs on nine hits and five walks in five-plus innings of work.
 
Game 2: No. 21 Tennessee 7, Furman 2
 
The Lady Vols (25-5) followed a similar script in game two by scoring six runs in the sixth inning to rally for a 7-2 victory over the Paladins to complete the sweep.
 
Once again, Ginder homered in the first inning to stake Furman to a 1-0 lead as her leadoff shot down the left field line bounced off of the foul pole. In the top of the fourth inning, Natalie Morgan was plunked by a two-out, two-strike pitch. She promptly swiped second and moved to third base on a wild pitch before scoring on Amanda Fleming's single to left field to increase the Paladin advantage to 2-0.
 
Freshman Sierra Tufts (3-7) held Tennessee scoreless and allowed just one hit in the first four innings as the Paladins carried a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the fifth. With two outs and a runner on first in the fifth inning, Madison Webber reached on a single and Ayala followed with an RBI double to put the Lady Vols on the board. Ashlee Lykins, however, erased Webber trying to go first to third to end the inning.
 
In the bottom of the sixth inning with a runner on second base and two outs, shortstop Ivy Davis deposited a Tufts pitch over the left field wall for a two-run home run to give Tennessee a 3-2 lead. After a double and an error kept the frame alive for the Lady Vols, Riley West drove in two runs with a double, Fox reached on a bunt-single and Ayala doubled to drive in two more runs.
 
Rogers (13-4), who fanned 11 batters without allowing a hit in five combined innings of work in the doubleheader, worked around a walk in the seventh to retire the Paladins and earn her second victory of the afternoon. Ayala finished 2-for-3 with two doubles and three RBI to lead the Tennessee offense.
 
Tufts allowed three earned runs on nine hits over seven innings to absorb the loss for the Paladins.
 
Furman (6-14) will face the 17^th-ranked Georgia Bulldogs in a 6 p.m. non-conference contest on Wednesday at Turner Softball Stadium in Athens, Ga., on SEC Network+ before opening Southern Conference play in Greenville, S.C., at Pepsi Stadium versus league favorite UNC Greensboro on Friday.
 
NOTE: It was announced on Monday that Furman has added an April 21 doubleheader versus N.C State in Raleigh, N.C. First pitch of game one is set for 1 p.m.