Time is running out for Tennessee softball to respond to another wake-up call
Tennessee softball, which couldn't get its offense going the same day the pitchers had an off game at the SEC Tournament, now await its NCAA seed.
Tennessee softball got yet another wake-up call to start the postseason, and fortunately for the Lady Vols, there's still another opportunity to do so. There won't be many more if they don't. The No.
5 seed Lady Vols were upset by No. 13 Ole Miss 4-1 in the second round of the SEC Tournament on May 6 in Lexington, Kentucky. Tennessee (42-10) took an early 1-0 lead, but couldn't sustain it as its offense flatlined again and couldn't make up for an off day from both Sage Mardjetko and Karlyn Pickens, who combined for six strikeouts and seven hits allowed.
Pickens allowed three walks and had two wild pitches and a hit-by-pitch. "When you lose a softball game like we did today, I mean, pretty much everything that adds up to a loss was there," Tennessee coach Karen Weekly said. "We missed opportunities when we had runners in scoring position.
We didn't make plays when we needed to to keep them from scoring, and then we allowed too many free passes. " Weekly said postseason softball is all about good pitching, clean defense and timely hitting — and Tennessee didn't accomplish any of those things at John Cropp Stadium. The Lady Vols had only four hits and three walks.