KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Senior Payton Gottshall tossed her fourth career no-hitter - second as a Lady Vol - Friday night as Tennessee run-ruled Northern Kentucky, 12-0, in its first game of the Knoxville Regional.

For Tennessee (45-8), it is the fourth no-hitter this season following Karlyn Pickens' perfect game against Appalachian State, Ashley Rogers' no-no versus Ole Miss and Gottshall and Nicola Simpson's combined no-hitter against Mercer.

Gottshall fanned nine and walked two on the night to improve to 14-1 on the year.

Tennessee's four no-hitters this season are the most since 2007 - LVFLs Monica Abbott and Megan Rhodes Smith combined for nine no-no's that season.

With Tennessee leading 1-0, freshman Jamison Brockenbrough stepped to the plate and broke the game open with a three-RBI triple in the bottom of the third.

The hit jump-started a six-run frame for the Lady Vols who took command of the game. In the next at-bat, sophomore Katie Taylor knocked a double to right to plate Brockenbrough. After a Kiki Milloy walk put two runners on, NKU induced a fly out to right to bring All-SEC First Team member McKenna Gibson to the plate. She doubled to left center, scoring Taylor and Milloy to increase UT's lead to 7-0.

In the fourth, Brockenbrough singled home two more runs for her fourth and fifth RBIs of the night. The Locust Grove, Georgia, native went 2-for-3 with a career-high five RBIs and two runs scored against the Norse.

Third baseman Zaida Puni started and ended the scoring for UT with a solo home run in the first and a three-run home run in the fourth. The junior has now belted 10 home runs on the year.

Northern Kentucky (23-31) started Lauryn Hicks in the circle who went 2.1 innings, allowing seven runs on seven hits with seven walks and three strikeouts. She suffered the loss and is now 11-9 this season.

She was replaced in the circle by Madisyn Eads, who tossed 1.1 frames, surrendering five runs on five hits. Alicia Flores came on for one out in the fourth.

Tennessee scattered 10 hits against the Norse with Mackenzie Donihoo joining Brockenbrough and Puni in dropping down a pair of hits as she went 2-for-2 at the plate. Gibson, Rylie West, Lair Beauate and Katie Taylor collected UT's remaining hits.

UP NEXT

Tennessee will square off against Indiana on Saturday starting at 1 p.m. ET. The Hoosiers won their opening game of the Knoxville Regional, 4-3, over Louisville.