The Weekly Weekly: Tennessee Softball Opens the 2026 Season with a Bang in Florida

Tennessee softball’s 2026 season is officially underway. To get the season started, the Lady Vols played five games in the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Florida.

That stretch went just about as well as it could have. Tennessee went 5-0, including wins over No. 5 Oregon and No. 21 Liberty. This was behind incredible pitching from both Erin Nuwer and Karlyn Pickens.

Here’s the weekly recap of what Karen Weekly’s team did to start the year.

More From RTI: Tennessee Softball Tosses No-Hitter in 2026 Season-Opening Win vs. BYU

Feb. 5 – vs. BYU

• Final Score: 10-0 (5 inn.) W
• Location: Clearwater, Fla.
• Pitching
  • Win: Erin Nuwer (1-0)
    • 5.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
  • Loss: Jada Villegas (0-1)
• Batting
  • Elsa Morrison
    • 2/3, 2 runs, 5 RBI, 2B, HR, BB
  • Ella Dodge
    • 1/3, 1 run, 2 RBI, HR, BB

Feb. 6 – vs. No. 21 Liberty

• Final Score: 6-1 W
• Location: Clearwater, Fla.
• Pitching
  • Win: Karlyn Pickens (1-0)
    • 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 13 K, 1 HBP
  • Loss: Kaylan Yoder (0-1)
• Batting
  • Emma Clarke
    • 1/3, 1 run, 2 RBI, HR
  • Taelyn Holley
    • 2/2, 1 run, 1 RBI, 1 HR

Feb. 6 – vs. Rutgers

• Final Score: 9-1 (5 inn.) W
• Location: Clearwater, Fla.
• Pitching
  • Win: Erin Nuwer (2-0)
    • 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 K
  • Loss: Brooke Shifflett (0-1)
• Batting
  • Makenzie Butt
    • 1/3, 1 run, 2 RBI, HR
  • Sophia Knight
    • 3/3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2B

Feb. 7 – vs. Boston College

• Final Score: 6-0 W
• Location: Clearwater, Fla.
• Pitching
  • Win: Sage Mardjetko (1-0)
    • 4.2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 9 K
  • Loss: Bailey Kendziorski (0-1)
  • Save: Erin Nuwer (1)
    • 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 4 K
• Batting
  • Gabby Leach
    • 2/3, 2 R, 3 RBI, 1 BB, HR, 2B

Feb. 7 – vs. No. 5 Oregon

• Final Score: 2-0 W
• Location: Clearwater, Fla.
• Pitching
  • Win: Karlyn Pickens (2-0)
    • 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 9 K
  • Loss: Lyndsey Grein (0-1)
• Batting
  • Ella Dodge
    • 1/3, 1 RBI, 2B
  • Gabby Leach
    • 1/3, 2 R, 1 BB, 2B

Up Next

• Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational (Clearwater, Fla.)
  • Feb. 13 – Nebraska
  • Feb. 13 – James Madison
  • Feb. 14 – Florida Atlantic
  • Feb. 14 – UCLA
  • Feb. 15 – Florida State
• UAB Tournament (Birmingham)
  • Feb. 20 – Missouri State
  • Feb. 20 – at UAB
  • Feb. 21 – Mercer
  • Feb. 22 – Southern Illinois
• Tennessee Invitational (Knoxville)
  • Feb. 27 – Appalachian State
  • Feb. 27 – Penn State
  • Feb. 28 – Penn State
  • Feb. 28 – NC Central
  • March 1 – Appalachian State