Tennessee opened its home slate in dominant fashion Friday, extending its unbeaten start to the 2026 season with a pair of victories at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.
The No. 1 Lady Vols defeated App State 9-1 in the opener before adding a 4-1 win over Penn State to improve to 16-0 overall.
Despite slow offensive starts in both outings, Tennessee’s bats came alive in the fifth with six runs.
Production at the plate continued in the sixth inning against the Mountaineers with three more runs. Tennessee walked it off against App State after plating nine runs behind a balanced attack, while the pitching staff limited App State to a single run.
In the second game, the Lady Vols relied on timely hitting and steady pitching to pull away from Penn State. Ella Dodge all but sealed the win with a grand slam in the fifth inning. Couple that with stellar play by Sage Mardjetko in the circle, Tennessee was able to secure the sweep in front of the home crowd.
After the games, Tennessee players and coaches emphasized the importance of defending their home field and maintaining momentum after a 14-0 start away from Knoxville. The team pointed to its depth in the circle and consistent production at the plate as key factors in continuing its strong start to the season.
Tennessee returns to action this on Saturday looking to build on its undefeated record.
