It’s been quite the gauntlet for Tennessee softball head coach Karen Weekly and her 2026 team, who have already completed one tournament and now begin an even tougher stretch starting Friday against No. 8 Nebraska.
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The No. 3 Lady Vols started the Clearwater Invitational with a win, scoring 4-1. Weekly elected to use her three biggest arms in the opening game, which paid off as the team held the Cornhuskers (4-4) to just one total hit on the afternoon.
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Things started off quietly for both sides offensively. The Lady Vols (6-0) started Sage Mardjetko, while Nebraska tossed out right-handed pitcher Jordy Frahm.
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Frahm started her day striking out Sophia Knight. Gabby Leach got on board next with the first hit of the afternoon before Frahm sat down the final two batters of the inning.
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Mardjetko walked her first batter of the day, who happened to be the pitcher Frahm, who plays as a two-way player for the Cornhuskers. Despite her day offensively not being noticeable, she still holds a batting average of .375 on the year.
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Mardjetko sat down the next three after the walk, and both teams put a runner on with nothing to show for it after one. The minimal offense continued into inning two, with both teams shut down in order.
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The Lady Vols sat down in order again at the top of the third, but the Cornhuskers had different plans in the bottom frame. A leadoff walk started the bottom of the third before Samantha Bland followed right up with a single.
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With two on, both runners advanced the following at bat after a Mardjetko wild pitch, putting two in scoring position with no outs.
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Mardjetko had to bunker down, striking out Frahm during their second meeting, before forcing a sac-fly for out number two. A groundout brought an end to the threat, but the Cornhuskers were able to tack on the first run of the afternoon.
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It wouldn’t take long for the Lady Vols to respond at the top of the fourth, despite the first two batters being sat down. Ella Dodge took a big swing, which ended as a two-out double. Makenzie Butt squeezed a single over the shortstop’s head to drive in the Lady Vols first run, tying the game back at one.
Erin Nuwer came in to pitch for Mardjetko after three innings, where she tossed a clean inning, striking out three batters while walking just one, continuing the start to her impressive 2026 season.
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Things once again quieted down until the top of the fifth, when the Lady Vols began to threaten. A Gabby Leach double drove home Knight and Clarke to give the Lady Vols a 3-1 lead in the fifth.
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An Elsa Morrison single kept things rolling after the two-out double, and Leach scored on a wild pitch to push the lead further to 4-1.
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Senior Karlyn Pickens was called upon in the fifth inning in replacement for Nuwer, and Pickens immediately went to work, forcing two quick outs before walking the third batter of the inning. Despite the free base, she forced a pop-out to short.
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The Lady Vols went quiet in the sixth, while the Cornhuskers had a runner reach second base after a leadoff walk. The runner wouldn’t get further than second, though, even after another Pickens walk.
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The Lady Vols loaded the bases in the top of the seventh, looking to add some insurance against Nebraska, but couldn’t cash in on the chance after Butt struck out with the bases juiced.
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Pickens was selected to close the game, forcing a lineout and striking out her first two batters before striking out the final batter, Lauren Camenzind. The win marks the team’s sixth straight victory, their second over a current top-25 team.
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The team’s tournament journey continues Friday night against James Madison.