KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee completed the third of its seven fall ball games Friday night, and head coach Karen Weekly saw a little bit of everything she hopes for at this stage. Erin Nuwer, making her first appearance of the fall after missing last weekend, opened the game with back to back strikeouts and went on to a strong outing, while Maddi Rutan returned from injury to throw in relief. She also added an RBI double off the left field wall.
The bats provided plenty of power, as Emma Clarke launched a three run homer off the scoreboard, Avary Stockwell went deep twice, including a three run shot to left, Meredith Barnhart smashed a solo home run to right, and Zoie Shuler added a homer of her own. The Lady Vols also drew 12 walks, though Weekly felt they left some runs on the bases.
After the game, Weekly broke down the performances in the circle, the growth she’s seen from Clarke at the plate and at third base, how Stockwell responded after a slow start, and Barnhart’s night at first base. She also previewed the upcoming League of Angels event at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium. Here is what she had to say.
What were your overall takeaways from tonight’s game?
“Let’s start in the circle. I thought Erin did a nice job. She was sick last weekend, couldn’t go. Kind of worked her way back in this week. Got roughed up a little bit in practice, but she’s such a determined young lady and such a warrior and such a competitor that I kind of figured we’d get a good performance out of her.
“I just love the way she attacked the zone, and she’s added a pitch in the offseason and she’s not afraid to use it. So you just see a lot of growth in her. And then Maddi is coming off an injury. We didn’t get to see her last weekend, and kind of the same thing, a little bit of a slow start, but I thought she did a good job making adjustments in between innings and pinpointing her pitches a little bit better and getting a little bit better break on them as the game went on.
“From an offensive standpoint, we weren’t as good tonight with our hard hit ball percentage as we had been the first two games. And I think we probably missed some opportunities to drive in even more runs. I did like our pitch selection, and I think we drew 12 walks tonight, so that showed a lot of discipline at the plate.
“But I think we could have capitalized on more of those base runners than we did, so that’s just something we’ll look at offensively. Defensively, I think again, we’re doing a good job of communicating. We had a very different lineup to start tonight. We have some people out, just nursing some things, trying to be extra cautious if we do have any injuries or just nagging types of things.
“I was pleased that no matter who we put out there and what position, starting or coming in, the communication was really good.”
What is the pitch Erin Nuwer added, and how did it land tonight?
“She’s just trying to get a little more velocity on certain pitches in the zone. I think it landed well, but I also think she’s attacking with it. Sometimes when you’re trying to add something, you can be a little bit tentative, and I like the way that she’s just going for it.”
How much do you need from Maddi Rutan in the circle this season compared to last year?
“We need Maddi in the circle. Last year obviously you got Karlyn [Pickens], you got Sage [Mardjetko], you got Erin. You lose a pitcher like Karlyn, not just the innings that she threw, but the quality of innings that she threw. I mean, you’re talking a three time All American. So we’re gonna need Maddi, and it’s important that Maddi continues to improve and works on the things she needs to work on. Love her competitiveness. I think that’s what you’re always gonna get out of Maddi. She’s gonna go out there and compete.
“But this is year two in the SEC. They got a little bit of a look at Maddi last year, and everybody makes adjustments, so she’s gonna have to make them too.”
Where have you seen Emma Clarke grow since June, and what do you make of the power she’s shown this fall?
“Just kind of taking the overthinking element out of things once we get in the game, and just getting up there and going for it. I want to see her, every single time that bat moves, trying to smoke the ball. In the past, sometimes she’d kind of try to feel her way through a swing, maybe try to do everything right in a swing, and games aren’t times to do that.
“Games are times to trust your preparation and just cut loose. I always tell her, ‘Hey, let the beast out,’ ’cause there’s a beast in there. And when she lets the beast play, great things happen, like you saw tonight. First swing. And then her second at bat, she attacks the first pitch and smokes a line drive.
“So I really, really like what I saw. And I’ll tell you what I’m loving is her play at third base. I think she’s playing a phenomenal third base. Making all the routine plays, but then making some difficult plays look easy.”
What are you seeing from Avary Stockwell day by day that led to her two home run night?
“She’s really strong, and she’s coachable, and there’s a lot that she needs to learn and a lot of room to grow. But when she runs into a ball, that ball’s gonna go far. I like what she’s doing behind the plate. I like how she’s listening and how she’s doing everything we’re asking of her. She really is eager to learn the pitchers, to become a great receiver.
“What I liked tonight offensively: first at bat, she takes a called third strike. Second at bat, kind of a weak groundout. And I wanted to see her make an adjustment. That was kind of what I was thinking, like, I need to see her make an adjustment this third at bat, and she did and hit a ball out of this park by a long shot, and then continued to have a good night.
“So I think with young players, that’s the biggest thing you’re looking for, is how do they respond to the adversity, and I thought she responded well tonight.”
What have you seen from Meredith Barnhart, who played first base tonight, throughout this process?
“With both Mak [Butt] and Amayah [Doyle] out, that was the logical move, and I like the fact that we could get her a lot of innings at first and a lot of at bats.
“She didn’t have the best night offensively to start, but then obviously her last at bat was phenomenal. And again, that’s what you wanna see, is don’t let the first at bat dictate your entire game, and she didn’t do that. She’s another one who listens really well and has really taken to what Coach E is teaching.”
What does it mean to host the upcoming League of Angels event at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium?
“It’s gonna be such an awesome night with a group of special needs adults and kids, just getting them out here playing ball. We’ve done things like this before, and just to watch the joy on their faces. People always say how appreciative they are to us for doing something like this. They make a bigger impact on us than we could ever make on them, and I think it just gives us all perspective when you get to spend a night like we’re going to spend with that group of people.
“I just want us to pack this place. I think it’s so cool for the young men and women who are gonna be on our field that night to feel the crowd and to hear the cheers and just feel the energy. And I want them to feel what our girls feel playing at Sherri Parker Lee every night.”
