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Tennessee softball showers Lair Beautae with cash following grand slam

On3-Social-Profile_GRAYby:On3 Staff Report•05/12/23
Lair Beautae, Tennessee Volunteers softball
Tennessee softball player Lair Beautae celebrates with some of her teammates at a game on May 6, 2023. (Brianna Paciorka / USA TODAY Sports)

Cash seems to be king at the 2023 SEC Softball Tournament. One day after Florida players were seen counting $100 bills in the dugout, Tennessee players made it rain cash following a big play in a semifinal game against Alabama.

The Volunteers ran into trouble in the first inning against the Crimson Tide, surrendering a 4-0 lead.

But Tennessee second baseman Lair Beautae would turn the tide for the Volunteers in the bottom of the first inning, belting a bases-loaded grand slam to left center field to tie the game at 4-4. After she rounded the bases and dapped up teammates, she headed into the dugout where a cash shower awaited her.

The first two Tennessee batters to step to the plate in the bottom of the first inning were retired by Alabama before the fireworks show was set up.

With two outs, first baseman McKenna Gibson doubled to center field to put a runner aboard. Left fielder Rylie West walked after that. Then shortstop Mackenzie Donihoo also walked to load the bases for Beautae.

Lair Beautae took the first pitch and drove it over the wall to tie the game at 4-4.

Tennessee would take the lead one inning later, once again after rallying with two outs. After the first two hitters in the inning were retired, center fielder and leadoff hitter Kiki Milloy stepped to the plate. She saw four pitches before she got one she could send for a ride, blasting a home run to left field to make it 5-4 Tennessee.

The top seed in the SEC Softball Tournament, Tennessee won its first game, beating Florida 4-0. The Volunteers are looking to cruise past the Crimson Tide to reach the championship game.

Earlier in the day, South Carolina secured its spot in the SEC Tournament championship game by beating Auburn in dramatic fashion.

The Gamecocks were down to their final out in the seventh inning, trailing 2-1, when Jordan Fabian launched a two-out, two-run shot over the fence to give the team a 3-2 lead. They’d hold on against the Tigers in the bottom half of the inning, locking up a berth in the title game.

The SEC Softball Tournament championship game is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET with a broadcast on ESPN.