KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 1 Tennessee improved to 20-0 with a 1-0 midweek win over Belmont at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium Tuesday night.
With the win, Tennessee is now 147-4 all-time against in-state opponents.
Erin Nuwer had a strong outing in the circle in relief, sitting down seven batters while holding Belmont (13-6) to one hit and no runs. The sophomore extended her perfect record, improving to 9-0.
Junior Sophia Knight finished two-for-three with two singles on the night. Ella Dodge added a double to provide Tennessee’s first and only run of the game.
The Lady Vols wasted no time getting on base. Knight opened with a single to shortstop, while Dodge’s double to left-center opened the scoring for the game, giving Tennessee an early lead.
Emma Clarke and Bella Faw added a single each as the Lady Vols scattered five hits on the evening. Tennessee’s offense handed Belmont ace Maya Johnson her first loss of the season.
Tennessee’s bullpen combined for ten strikeouts with efforts from Karlyn Pickens and Sage Mardjetko.
Pickens got the start in the circle. The senior struck out two of her first three batters faced. Mardjetko took over in the second, sitting down Belmont’s final batter of the inning to strand two.
After Mardjetko allowed a hit by pitch and a single by Belmont’s Rylee Spindler, Nuwer took the circle in the top of the third. The East Aurora native opened her relief outing with a strikeout to strand two Bruins on base. She then silenced the Bruins with a three-up-three-down fourth inning and held Belmont scoreless for the final 4.2 frames.
DUE UP
The Lady Vols open up conference play on Friday, hosting No.17 LSU in a three-game series. Game One is slated for 6 p.m. ET.
