Emma Clarke delivered again for Tennessee on Saturday, helping power the Lady Vols to a 7-5 victory over Virginia and a spot in the Knoxville Regional championship game.
Tennessee (43-14) jumped on the Cavaliers early with a five-run first inning, then answered every Virginia rally to stay unbeaten in the regional. Clarke’s homer in the third inning proved pivotal after Virginia cut into the deficit in the top inning.
“She’s a beast,” Tennessee coach Karen Weekly said of Clarke. “It’s just bring the beast every day. It’s in there, let it out, let it play.”
Clarke continued her recent postseason surge after also homering in Tennessee’s regional opener. Weekly praised the aggressive approach Clarke has embraced at the plate.
Specifically her at-bat in the third inning where Clarke ripped a foul ball to the left side, right to Weekly’s shin.
“Best way she took all day was the one that hit me in the shin. I loved it, because that meant she was getting after it,” Weekly said.
It highlighted the approach of ‘playing on your toes’ that Weekly has been asking of her team since the SEC Tournament.
“I’ll take that all day, every day. I’ll take as many bruises and bumps as I need to take to get those kind of swings.”
Virginia refused to go away after Tennessee’s explosive opening inning, trimming the lead multiple times and making it a one-run game midway through the contest. But the Lady Vols consistently answered.
Weekly said that resilience has defined her team throughout the season.
“Every time Virginia did something, we answered right back,” Weekly said. “That’s a really, really good team across the field.”
Tennessee also got a boost from Mackenzie Butt’s home run and a combined effort in the circle from Sage Mardjetko and Karlyn Pickens.
Now, the Lady Vols advance to Sunday’s Knoxville Regional championship. Weekly hopes they all have the same approach.
“I’d rather go down swinging like that than have regrets that I really didn’t play on my toes,” Weekly said. “When we do that, good things are going to happen.”
