KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Sunday Tennessee softball hosted Northwest Florida State for a quick fall ball matchup. The weather was wet, and the game only went six innings, instead of the 10 they’ve played all fall. However, the Lady Vols showed patience and power at the plate and came out on top 15-0.
Below are some notes that I gathered throughout the game, and you can also find postgame interviews at the bottom.
The bats look like a problem for opposing pitchers
Tennessee put up 15 runs, and the contact got harder as the day went on. Even most of the foul balls were hit hard. Karley Shelton, Elsa Morrison and Meredith Barnhart all homered, and Avary Stockwell came within feet of adding another before it fell at the track. I know the level of competition in the fall hasn’t been great, but the Lady Vols’ emphasis on hard-hit balls and better swings should give the pitching staff plenty of run support in 2027.
Sophia Knight keeps swinging it
Knight had a one-out double off the left field wall and later cleared the bases with a three-RBI double to right. Her ability to swing away more in 2027 will likely catch some people off guard. She has a fluid swing, and I believe she can do some sneaky damage.
Karley Shelton is a fantastic addition from the portal
Shelton got Tennessee on the board with a home run to right field in the first. She also displayed her patience at the plate and drew walks in the game. She will be monumental for the Lady Vols in the spring.
Maddi Rutan’s change of speeds works
Rutan struck out the side in the first and kept piling up strikeouts through four solid innings. She also showed her awareness and quick twitch by snagging a low liner back to her for an out. The one thing to watch is the illegal pitch call in the third, the second time in as many games that one has been called on this staff.
Erin Nuwer was quick and efficient
Nuwer came on for the fifth and needed only three pitches for her first strikeout. She added a second one to retire the side.
Halle Bailey brings options
Bailey showed her leather at shortstop, nearly throwing out a runner at first, and she showed the slapper motion by pushing a single through the five-six hole. That versatility plays for Weekly. I have her at No. 2 on the depth chart at short or second.
Meredith Barnhart keeps making the most of her days
Barnhart has played a lot at first base this fall. The sophomore infielder has shown to field the position well, and she also can swing it at the plate.
One thing to watch at the plate
With harder swings, hitters sometimes get under the ball a little too much. Tennessee has done a great job of driving the ball for the most part this fall, but at times the Lady Vols have undercut it just a bit. I don’t believe it’s a major concern, and is totally fixable. It’s just something to keep an eye on in the spring when the major competition arrives.
Tennessee took what was given and showed patience
The elements seemed to bother NWF a little from the fourth inning on, and Tennessee made them pay, loading the bases and scoring on walks before Knight’s bases-clearing double. Emma Clarke’s full at-bat in the third, which ended with an RBI single back up the middle on a 3-2 pitch, was another sign of the patience at the plate. Taelyn Holley sat on a changeup for a single and later added an RBI double, and Gabby Leach capped the day with a three-RBI triple.
