#4 Lady Vols Beat Boston College, #5 Oregon to Close NFCA Leadoff Classic

Saturday, February 7

Clearwater, FL

1 PM ET

University of Tennessee

4-0

Boston College

1-2

Boston College

Tennessee

#4 Lady Vols Beat Boston College, #5 Oregon to Close NFCA Leadoff Classic

February 08, 2026 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Box Score (Boston College)Box Score (Oregon)

CLEARWATER, Fla. – The fourth-ranked Lady Vols closed out the NFCA Leadoff Classic at the Eddie C. Moore Complex on Saturday with a pair of wins. In Game 1, Tennessee took down Boston College 6-0. In primetime, the Big Orange knocked off No. 5 Oregon 2-0, putting the finishing touches on a 5-0 opening weekend.

Tennessee's pitching staff flexed its muscle all weekend. Karlyn Pickens and Erin Nuwer each picked up two wins, with Sage Mardjetko earning one. Nuwer also earned a save on the weekend. Maddi Rutan also saw action in the circle on Friday.

As a group, the pitching staff accounted for 42 strikeouts and just nine walks over 31 innings of work. They held the weekend's opponents to just 12 hits and surrendered two runs, while holding the opposition to a .120 batting average.

At the plate, Tennessee showed its potency with six players hitting a home run. Junior Sophia Knight led the way from the top of the lineup, hitting .438 with five runs, two doubles, one RBI and four stolen bases.

GAME 1: No. 4 Tennessee 6, Boston College 0
Tennessee combined timely hitting with dominant pitching to blank Boston College 6-0 in Game 1.

Tennessee starter Sage Mardjetko (1-0) set the tone early, striking out the side to open the game. She kept the Eagles off balance as she carried a perfect game into the fifth. Mardjetko went 4.2 innings, allowing two hits with no walks and nine strikeouts.

After two scoreless innings, the Lady Vols (4-0) broke through in the third. Sophia Knight singled and stole second before Gabby Leach drove her home with a double to left. Ella Dodge followed with another double down the left field line, plating Leach to give Tennessee a 2-0 advantage.

Boston College (1-2) finally broke through when Kiley Buckley doubled and Adriana Martinez added a single, putting a runner on third with two away.

Erin Nuwer (S1) entered in relief and struck out the next batter to end the threat and escape the jam. Nuwer finished the game, tossing 2.1 frames with four strikeouts as she earned the first save of her career.

The Lady Vols added insurance in the fifth. Knight reached on a bunt single and again used her speed on the bases, stealing second before Leach launched a two-run homer to left field to extend the lead to 4-0.

Tennessee continued to build its cushion in the sixth. Maddi Rutan worked a leadoff walk and later scored on Makenzie Butt's RBI groundout. Alannah Leach crossed the plate later in the frame on Jackie Kirkpatrick's bunt single, pushing the margin to six.

GAME 2: No. 4 Tennessee 2, No. 5 Oregon 0
Karlyn Pickens (2-0) delivered a dominant performance in the circle, tossing a complete-game shutout as Tennessee edged Oregon 2-0 in a tightly contested matchup.

The Lady Vols (5-0) manufactured a run in the opening inning without recording a hit. Sophia Knight drew a leadoff walk and advanced on a wild pitch before Tennessee loaded the bases with two more walks. Emma Clarke then worked another free pass to force home Gabby Leach for a 1-0 lead.

From there, pitching took center stage. Pickens consistently worked out of trouble, scattering three hits and four walks, while racking up nine strikeouts and keeping the Ducks from finding timely contact. Oregon's best opportunity came in the third when a single and a walk put two aboard, but the Ducks flew into a 9-4-6 double play that helped Tennessee escape the inning.

Leach broke through with Tennessee's first hit, a double to center, in the sixth. Ella Dodge followed with another double to right field to bring Leach home and extend the advantage to 2-0.

Pickens handled the rest. She retired the side in order in the fifth and worked around a seventh-inning single to secure the shutout.

Oregon starter Lyndsey Grein (1-2) tossed six innings, allowing two runs on two hits with six walks and five strikeouts. Elise Sokolsky came on in relief, throwing one inning with two walks and a strikeout.

DUE UP
Tennessee will return to Clearwater and the Eddie C. Moore Complex Feb. 13-15 for the Shriners Children's Clearwater Invitational. The Lady Vols will face Nebraska, James Madison, Florida Atlantic, UCLA and Florida State.