Softball Preview: #11 Lady Vols vs. Lipscomb

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The No. 11/13 Tennessee softball team begins a four-game homestand Wednesday evening, welcoming the Lipscomb Bison for an in-state midweek contest. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.

Single-game tickets are available at AllVols.com and can also be purchased at the Sherri Parker Lee ticket office when gates open to the public at 4 p.m. Parking is free for all Tennessee home softball games in lots S14 and C25 adjacent to Sherri Parker Lee Stadium and Regal Soccer Stadium, and fans should note that Tennessee Athletics' clear bag policy will be in effect.

Fans are encouraged to visit the Tennessee softball gameday information page before making their way to Sherri Parker Lee to familiarize themselves with gameday policies and procedures.

BROADCAST INFO: Wednesday's game will be streamed online via SEC Network+, with Russell Biven (PxP) and Jill Jelnick (analyst) on the call. Additionally, a free online audio broadcast featuring voice of the Lady Vol softball team Brian Rice will be available for listening on UTSports.com.

SERIES WIN IN THE SWAMP: Tennessee is coming off a top-10 SEC series win on the road, taking the first two games of a three-game set at No. 6 Florida. The Lady Vols shut out the Gators, 6-0, in the opener before taking Game 2 by a score of 7-2.

UT's two wins in Gainesville ended Florida's streak of seven consecutive home series victories in SEC play, a run that dated to the final weekend of league action in 2019 vs. Mississippi State.

ROGERS RETURNS: Making her first appearance in three weeks, UT senior ace Ashley Rogers started Saturday's game at UF and retired nine-straight batters, tallying five strikeouts in limited action.

IN-STATE DOMINANCE: The Lady Vols boast a 139-4 all-time record against opponents from the state of Tennessee. In 2022, UT has outscored its in-state foes 28-6 with victories over Tennessee Tech (11-1), Austin Peay (9-1) and Memphis (8-4).

LEAGUE PLAYERS: UT has seen a pair of newcomers thrive during the first three weekends of SEC play. Sophomore infielder Zaida Puni leads the squad with four home runs and 14 RBIs in conference games, while graduate transfer pitcher Erin Edmoundson touts a 4-2 record with four complete games and 26 strikeouts against league foes.

WE HIT DINGERS: Tennessee's softball and baseball programs have combined for 110 home runs, which leads the country by a margin of 15. NC State (95), Oklahoma (90), Georgia (86) and Mississippi State (84) round out the top-five on the combined diamond sport home runs leaderboard.

The Lady Vols have recorded 46 home runs through the first 29 games of the season. UT's 1.48 HRs/game rank fifth in the SEC and 16th in the country. Tennessee has multiple homers in 13 games already this season, compared to 16 all of last year, and is 11-2 on the year when hitting 2+ home runs.

NOTING LIPSCOMB: The Bison sport a 13-18 record under 17th-year head coach Kristin Ryman. Tennessee leads the all-time series 12-0, with the last meeting taking place March 4, 2020, as the Lady Vols triumphed 9-1 in five innings.

Redshirt junior catcher Kamrie Rich brought home her first-career ASUN Softball Player of the Week honor on Monday, putting up a .636 batting average, a .733 OBP and a 1.273 slugging percentage in helping Lipscomb compile a 3-1 week on the diamond. She combined to go 7-of-11 with two home runs, eight RBI, four runs, four walks, a double and 14 total bases on offense and recorded 15 putouts on the defensive side.

UP NEXT: Tennessee will play host to Mississippi State for a three-game SEC series this weekend at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium. Friday and Saturday's games are set for 6 p.m. and 2 p.m., respectively, on SEC Network+, while Sunday's series finale will start at noon and will be televised on SEC Network.

For the most up-to-date information on Tennessee softball, follow @Vol_Softball on Twitter and Instagram.

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Players Mentioned

Erin Edmoundson

Zaida Puni

Ashley Rogers

University of Tennessee Athletics