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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Karen Weekly earned her 1,100th victory in her Tennessee career on Friday at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium, leading No. 7 Tennessee to a 13-0 win over Delaware State. The Lady Vols followed up with an 8-0 victory over Indiana State to conclude a strong opening day at the Tennessee Invitational.
With two wins on the day, Weekly has 1,324 career wins overall, placing her third among active coaches and 10th all-time in Division I collegiate softball history.
Tennessee (16-3) dominated the competition, scoring 21 runs in two run-rule victories while holding both Delaware State and Indiana State scoreless. The Lady Vols’ pitching staff was stellar, as Charli Orsini, Sage Mardjetko, and Erin Nuwer combined for 12 strikeouts. Eleven players recorded at least one RBI on the day.
Redshirt sophomore Taylor Pannell drove in three RBIs with two doubles and a walk, going 2-for-5 across both games. She extended her hitting streak to seven games and her on-base streak to 18.
Freshman Saviya Morgan contributed significantly, going 3-for-6 with four RBIs. She also stole two bases, bringing her season total to 15.
GAME 1: NO. 7 TENNESSEE 13, DELAWARE STATE 0
Tennessee’s top of the order—Morgan, Kinsey Fiedler, and Pannell—led the charge, combining for five of the team’s nine hits, six RBIs, and six runs in a 13-0 win that ended after five innings.
Leading 6-0 after three innings, the Lady Vols exploded for seven more runs in the fourth, aided by three hits and an error.
Orsini earned her first win of the season, allowing two hits and one strikeout over 3.2 innings. Mardjetko closed the game, striking out four over 1.1 innings.
GAME 2: NO. 7 TENNESSEE 8, INDIANA STATE 0
Nuwer earned her fourth win of the season with a dominant performance, allowing three hits, one walk, and striking out seven in six innings.
Pannell and McKenna Gibson each hit a double in the first inning to put Tennessee on the board. Ella Dodge went 3-for-3 with a double, triple, three runs, and an RBI.
Tennessee secured the run-rule win in the sixth after plating three runs with one out, highlighted by a two-RBI single from Morgan and an RBI single from Fiedler.
DUE UP
Tennessee faces UT Martin at 12:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, before entering bracket play in the Tennessee Invitational. The Lady Vols are 3-0 all-time against the Skyhawks.
