Perry grad Payton Gottshall unbeaten as pitcher for No. 3-ranked Tennessee softball team

If you want to know how Payton Gottshall is doing pitching for the No. 3-ranked University of Tennessee softball team, just take a look at the Perry High School graduate's performance in a sweep over 14th-ranked Florida in the Volunteer’s three games heading into the weekend.

The 5-foot-9 senior right-hander pitched in all three games for the Vols and picked up two victories and a save. She pitched the final 2.2 innings in a 9-1 victory and earned the win April 22, giving up a hit, no runs, no walks with a strikeout. In an 11-10 win, April 23, she picked up her first save working the final inning and giving up a hit, a run with two strikeouts. She came out of the bullpen and earned the victory in a 10-6 win on Monday, working 6 innings and giving up three hits and a run with five strikeouts.

The performance lifted Gottshall’s record to 11-0 on the season with a 1.31 ERA. In 19 games (12 starts), she has worked 64 innings and given up 27 hits and 12 runs, all earned, with 11 walks and 93 strikeouts. The 38-5 Volunteers (16-2 in the SEC) have a three-pronged starting staff. Gottshall is joined by graduate student Ashley Rogers (13-1) and freshman Karlyn Pickens (8-4).

Gottshall played the previous three seasons at Bowling Green where she was named Mid-American Conference Pitcher of the Year last season and was a two-time first-team All-MAC pick. She finished with a 58-30 record with the Falcons.

Grace Vesco (Hoover) The senior right-hander set a pair of program records pitching for the 22-22 St. Francis (Pa.) softball team. She finished past the week with 576 career strikeouts and posted her 53rd career victory. Last Tuesday, she was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Top Performers list for the second time in the last three weeks and the ninth time in her career. On the season, Vesco is 13-11 with a 2.60 ERA in 26 games (22 starts). She has 17 complete games with four shutouts. In 146.1 innings, she has given up 95 hits and 70 runs, 55 earned, with 101 walks and 175 strikeouts.

Maxwell Moldovan (Green) The junior helped the Ohio State men’s golf team capture its own tournament last weekend. He finished tied for seventh with a 217 total on rounds of 75, 69 and 73. Kent State finished second out of 17 teams and got a big effort from senior Cade Breitenstine (Green), Moldovan's former high school teammate. Breitenstine finished tied for 10th with a 218 total on rounds of 67, 75 and 76.

Luke Laubacher (Perry) The sophomore won the 110-meter hurdles for the third straight time, winning the event in 14:34 at an invitational April 21 in Slippery Rock, Pa. At the Bison Outdoor Classic, April 14-16, in Lewisburg, Pa. he won in a personal-best 14:18. Laubacher started the streak by winning in 14.34 at the Northeast Ohio Open, April 7-8, in Akron.

Sam Etter (Jackson) The 6-foot-3 sophomore outside hitter was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division III All-Region team on April 18 after helping the Wentworth (Mass.) men’s team post a 27-8 record and reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Etter was second-team All-Great Northeast Athletic Conference. He finished with 259 kills, 122 digs, 34.0 total blocks and 20 service aces. He had a .280 hitting percentage.

Jessica LeBeau (Lake) The junior right-hander is the No. 2 starter on the Michigan softball team (24-18, 10-7 Big Ten). LeBeau has a 7-10 record with a 2.87 ERA. She has pitched in 21 games with 17 starts and has five complete games. In 95 innings, LeBeau has given up 90 hits and 52 runs, 39 earned, with 38 walks and 92 strikeouts. She pitched two years at Kent State before transferring to Michigan.

Brant Alazaus (West Branch) The 6-3, 170-pound left-hander, a graduate student, is one of the top pitchers on the Xavier baseball team (26-15, 7-2 Big East). Alazaus has a 5-3 record and a 4.92 ERA in 10 starts. In 56.2 innings, he has given up 50 hits and 32 runs, 31 earned, with just eight walks and 61 strikeouts. He picked up the victory in 9-3 win at Villanova, April 22, going 5.2 innings and giving up five hits and one run, with a walk and six strikeouts.

Vincent Zeren (St. Thomas Aquinas) The sophomore is the top sprinter on the Otterbein men’s track team. At the Otterbein Twilight, April 21, he finished third in the 100 (10.95) and 11th in the 400 (personal-best 52.45). At the Division III All-Ohio meet on April 15, Zeren won the 200 (personal-record 21.91), was fifth in the 100 (10.95) and helped the 400 relay finish fifth (42.96). He also finished fourth in the long jump (21-8.25).

Lauren McMillin (Lake) The speedy senior centerfielder is hitting .323 (40-for-124) for the Ashland softball team (19-25, 11-9 G-MAC). McMillin has a double, a team-high six triples and 21 RBIs. She is tied for first in runs with 27 and is 14-for-14 in stolen bases. Senior teammate Cat Lohse (Lake) is hitting .239 in 17 games.

Balie Destefano (Perry) The graduate student had a strong meet for the Charlestown (W.Va.) women’s track team at the recent West Virginia’s Mountaineer Showcase. Destefano finished second in the 400 hurdles (1:03.64) and was second in the 400 (1:00.96). She wrapped up the meet by running the leadoff leg on the 400 relay which won the non-Division I race (3:57.64).

Maggie Pertee (Lake) The sophomore leadoff hitter and shortstop is batting .343 (49-for-143) for the Eastern Kentucky softball team (25-21, 7-11 Atlantic Sun). Pertee has started all 46 games and has 11 doubles, four triples, eight home runs, 42 runs and 27 RBIs. She is 14-for-15 in stolen bases. In the field, Pertee has made 17 errors on 214 chances (.921).

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Payton Gottshall unbeaten for No. 3-ranked Tennessee softball