STARKVILLE, Miss. – With wins in five of its last six games and fresh off a series sweep of Auburn, the No. 16 Tennessee softball team travels south for a midweek conference twin bill with Mississippi State on Wednesday afternoon in Starkville.
First pitches from Nusz Park are set for 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network+.
BROADCAST INFO
Fans can stream both contests on SEC Network+. SEC Network+ can be streamed through the ESPN App, or online at espn.com/watch.
Lady Vols fans can also listen live on their local Vol Network affiliate, or online at UTsports.com to listen to VFL Brian Rice on the call.
QUICK HITS
LADY VOLS FINDING FOOTING IN SEC PLAY
After dropping its first two SEC series’, Tennessee softball has won at least two-of-three games in its last four SEC sets against Kentucky, South Carolina, Georgia and Auburn.
In those four series victories, the Lady Vols have seen increased production from sophomore Callie Turner who has picked up a trio of victories during that span.
The Orange & White have also had to win in a variety of ways during this stretch of contests, claiming a trio of one-run victories and four wins by four or more runs.
MID-WEEK COMPETITION?
Wednesday’s twin bill will be a break from the traditional midweek encounters the Lady Vols have had throughout their 2021 campaign.
This doubleheader will be a blast from the past for UT, as the SEC used to hold midweek conference bouts, before doing away with the midweek schedule in 2012.
CALLIE CONTINUES TO TURN THE CORNER
Sophomore pitcher Callie Turner has been incredibly effective for the Lady Vols in her last four starts, giving up just five runs on eight hits in 18 innings of work in UT’s victories over South Carolina (4/18/21), Georgia (4/24/21) and Auburn (5/1/21).
SCOUTING MISSISSIPPI STATE
2021 Record: 27-22 Overall, 3-15 SEC
Series Record: Tennessee Leads – 42-18
Last Outing: A 9-2 drubbing of MSU from the Lady Vols on April 14, 2019 in the finale of a series sweep in Knoxville.
Key Player/Stat: Mississippi State arrives at Wednesday’s doubleheader struggling through 18 SEC contests. The Bulldogs fell in their first 13 league games, before nipping Texas A&M in Starkville on April 24, 8-1. This past weekend MSU claimed its first SEC series victory of the season when it took two of three games from South Carolina this past weekend in Columbia. The ladies from Starkvegas are led by Fa Leilua who leads the team in batting average (.360), hits (49), RBIs (42) and home runs (17).
UP NEXT
Tennessee will suit up for the final time at home in the regular season when it hosts Missouri in the final SEC regular season series of the year May 7-9 at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.
-UT Athletics
