Rain preserves nation’s best winning streak for Tennessee

KNOXVILLE, TN - APRIL 16, 2017 - Outfielder Brooke Vines #4 of the Tennessee Volunteers celebrates a homer with her team at home plate during the game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Tennessee Volunteers at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Athletics KNOXVILLE, TN - APRIL 16, 2017 - Outfielder Brooke Vines #4 of the Tennessee Volunteers celebrates a homer with her team at home plate during the game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Tennessee Volunteers at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Athletics

By David Cobb April 18, 2017 3 min read

KNOXVILLE – Alabama threatened to end Tennessee’s nation-leading 18-game softball winning streak Monday night at Lee Stadium.

Mother Nature helped preserve it.

Heavy rain began falling during a fourth-inning lightning delay, and the umpires officially canceled the Southeastern Conference game at 9:15, with the Crimson Tide leading 3-1.

The rainout left the nationally 14th-ranked Volunteers (39-5, 11-3) with a two-game sweep of the No. 9 Crimson Tide (36-9, 10-7).

The Vols close their regular-season SEC slate with LSU, Florida and Texas A&M, each ranked in the RPI top 12.