By Sawyer Hunley
Offense has become a constant issue for Lady Vol softball over the last few weeks of the season.
The struggle has not been as much getting runners on base as bringing them across to touch home plate.
Over their last six games, the Lady Vols have averaged leaving seven runners on base per game. This number is unacceptable for a team that strives to be among the top teams in the SEC.
Tonight, the Lady Vols hosted Radford and won 2-1.
They lived up to that average as they left seven runners on base on Tuesday night against Radford.
The Lady Vols also only recorded three hits on the night.
Two of those came from junior Sophia Knight, the one bright spot on the night for the Lady Vols.
This was Knight’s first time back in the batting order in over two weeks, and head coach Karen Weekly decided to put her in the lead-off spot.
“I thought she handled it really well. She didn’t focus on the results, true to the process, and just tried to get her timing back,” said Weekly.
This is nothing new for Knight, as she batted leadoff in almost every game before her illness, but after not touching a bat for three weeks and then batting leadoff on your return is very difficult.
Knight made it look easy.
Pitching remains the constant force on this team.
Sage Mardjetko got the nod to start in the circle, and it seems any pitcher Tennessee puts in the circle has a chance to dominate.
Mardjetko threw five and a third innings and recorded ten strikeouts while only walking three batters.
Karlyn Pickens came in and closed the game out for the Lady Vols as she recorded her fourth save of the season.
This tandem of Pickens and Mardjetko is about as strong as it comes in college softball, as the two pitchers average just a 1.02 ERA combined.
Up Next: The Lady Vols get ready for their biggest series of the season this upcoming weekend as they welcome No. 2 Alabama into Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.
“If you’re not ready to come out and lay it all on the line for that name on your jersey and that girl to your left and right, you’re just not a competitor,” said Weekly.
The series will open on Saturday as first pitch is slated for 4:00 PM ET.