Though Tennessee softball’s bats never showed up on Tuesday evening, they never had to for the Lady Vols to secure the close win.
Tennessee leaned on a dominant performance in the circle, securing a 2-1 victory over Radford at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium. The No. 7 Lady Vols (38-7, 12-6 SEC) managed just three hits and four walks, but a two-run third inning came up big.
“We won. We pitched really well. We played some good defense,” head coach Karen Weekly said. “But certainly not what we wanted to see offensively. Just didn’t seem like a real inspired performance”.
Sage Mardjetko was the difference on Tuesday night. She struck out the side in both the first and third innings en route to a 10-strikeout night.
“It’s all about your mindset, so just going out there competing and knowing that you’re the best on the field,” she said. “Having a good mix of rise, drop, curves, change-ups, just trying to keep them off balance and show them different spins”.
After two scoreless innings, the Lady Vols finally broke through against the Highlanders (22-23, 9-6 Big South) in the bottom of the third.
Sophia Knight began the rally with a bunt single after missing multiple weeks with a sickness. Ella Dodge followed with a single to right center to put runners on the corners before stealing second base.
Alannah Leach grounded out to first to drive in Knight for the game’s first run, and Emma Clarke extended the lead two pitches later with a sacrifice fly to right field to score Dodge.
“I told her, I’m going to put you in the leadoff spot,” Weekly said about Knight’s return. “I know you’re rusty, but the key was that she gets at-bats and that she gets to see a lot of pitches in a live setting”.
The Lady Vols’ bats went cold for the remainder of the contest, totaling just one hit after the third inning. Radford nearly tied the game in the fifth when a fielding error allowed a run, cutting the deficit to 2-1. Another runner almost came around to tie the game at two, but Taelyn Holley cleanly fielded the ball and whipped it home to prevent the score.
With the lead narrowed, Weekly turned to Karlyn Pickens in the sixth to slam the door.
Pickens was near perfect in relief, walking a batter but retiring five of the six batters she faced to earn her fourth save of the season.
“The struggle when you’re young is demanding it and staying in the process yourself,” Weekly said. “I think our two most outspoken leaders who probably set the example with the way they compete every day are Karlyn and Sage”.
With the win, Tennessee heads into its second-to-last SEC weekend. The Lady Vols host No. 2-ranked Alabama in their final home series. The three-game series begins on Saturday, April 25 and will run until Monday, April 27.
“If you’re not ready to protect your home field against Alabama, who is ranked higher, is stacked and is a really good team. If you’re not ready to come out and lay it all on the line for that name on the front of your jersey, you’re not a competitor,” Weekly said. “You’re just not a competitor. I mean, this is why you come to Tennessee.”
