University of Tennessee Athletics
Friday, February 20
Birmingham, AL
5:30 P.M. ET
University of Tennessee
11-0
5
vs
0
Missouri State
7-4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Missouri State
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
0
Tennessee
0
1
2
0
1
1
X
5
12
1
Strong Pitching, Timely Hitting Propel #1 Lady Vols to a Pair of Wins Friday
February 21, 2026 | Softball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The No. 1-ranked Lady Vols improved to 12-0 on the year, picking up wins over Missouri State and UAB on Friday night at Mary Bowers Field on the first day of the Green and Gold Classic.
In Game 1, Tennessee knocked off the Bears 5-0 before taking care of the Blazers in the nightcap, 6-1.
Strong pitching from Sage Mardjetko and Karlyn Pickens, as well as timely hitting from Ella Dodge and Makenzie Butt, helped carry the Lady Vols. Mardjetko and Pickens tossed complete games, while Dodge and Butt homered in both contests.
GAME 1: #1 Tennessee 5, Missouri State 0
Tennessee pieced together 12 hits and backed a strong outing from Sage Mardjetko in the circle to defeat Missouri State, 5-0.
The Lady Vols broke through in the second inning when Ella Dodge led off the frame with a solo home run to left-center.
Tennessee extended the lead in the third. With the bases loaded, Dodge drew a walk to force in a run. A wild pitch moments later allowed another run to score, pushing the advantage to 3-0.
Missouri State threatened in the fourth and fifth innings, collecting singles and benefiting from a Tennessee error in the fifth, but Mardjetko worked out of trouble each time to preserve the shutout.
The Lady Vols added to the lead in the fifth when Makenzie Butt launched a solo homer to left-center, making it 4-0. In the sixth, Tennessee strung together three more hits. Knight and Leach opened the inning with singles, and Dodge delivered again with an RBI double to right-center to score Knight for the final run of the day.
Missouri State put two runners on in the seventh with back-to-back singles, but Tennessee erased the lead runner on a strikeout and throw to third before inducing a lineout to first to end the game.
Mardjetko (2-0) tossed a complete-game shutout, scattering four hits, walking three, and striking out 11.
GAME 2: #1 Tennessee 6, UAB 1
In Game 2, Tennessee used timely power and dominant pitching to defeat UAB, 6-1.
After a quiet first two innings on both sides, the Lady Vols broke through in the third. With two outs, Sophia Knight singled and Gabby Leach followed with a base hit to put two on. Ella Dodge then delivered the big swing, launching a three-run homer to right field to give Tennessee a 3-0 lead.
In the circle, Karlyn Pickens (4-0) was in control from the start. She struck out the side in the first inning and carried a no-hitter into the bottom of the seventh. Pickens went the distance, tossing seven frames in front of a sold-out crowd at Mary Bowers Field.
The righty allowed one run on two hits with one walk and 11 strikeouts.
With two away in the seventh, Dodge and Taelyn Holley worked back-to-back walks. Makenzie Butt followed, breaking the game open with a three-run homer to left field, stretching the lead to 6-0.
UAB finally broke up the no-hitter with back-to-back singles and pushed across a run in the bottom of the seventh on a fielder's choice.
DUE UP
Tennessee will play just one game on Saturday, facing off against Mercer at the Green and Gold Classic. First pitch is set for 8 p.m. ET.
In Game 1, Tennessee knocked off the Bears 5-0 before taking care of the Blazers in the nightcap, 6-1.
Strong pitching from Sage Mardjetko and Karlyn Pickens, as well as timely hitting from Ella Dodge and Makenzie Butt, helped carry the Lady Vols. Mardjetko and Pickens tossed complete games, while Dodge and Butt homered in both contests.
GAME 1: #1 Tennessee 5, Missouri State 0
Tennessee pieced together 12 hits and backed a strong outing from Sage Mardjetko in the circle to defeat Missouri State, 5-0.
The Lady Vols broke through in the second inning when Ella Dodge led off the frame with a solo home run to left-center.
Tennessee extended the lead in the third. With the bases loaded, Dodge drew a walk to force in a run. A wild pitch moments later allowed another run to score, pushing the advantage to 3-0.
Missouri State threatened in the fourth and fifth innings, collecting singles and benefiting from a Tennessee error in the fifth, but Mardjetko worked out of trouble each time to preserve the shutout.
The Lady Vols added to the lead in the fifth when Makenzie Butt launched a solo homer to left-center, making it 4-0. In the sixth, Tennessee strung together three more hits. Knight and Leach opened the inning with singles, and Dodge delivered again with an RBI double to right-center to score Knight for the final run of the day.
Missouri State put two runners on in the seventh with back-to-back singles, but Tennessee erased the lead runner on a strikeout and throw to third before inducing a lineout to first to end the game.
Mardjetko (2-0) tossed a complete-game shutout, scattering four hits, walking three, and striking out 11.
GAME 2: #1 Tennessee 6, UAB 1
In Game 2, Tennessee used timely power and dominant pitching to defeat UAB, 6-1.
After a quiet first two innings on both sides, the Lady Vols broke through in the third. With two outs, Sophia Knight singled and Gabby Leach followed with a base hit to put two on. Ella Dodge then delivered the big swing, launching a three-run homer to right field to give Tennessee a 3-0 lead.
In the circle, Karlyn Pickens (4-0) was in control from the start. She struck out the side in the first inning and carried a no-hitter into the bottom of the seventh. Pickens went the distance, tossing seven frames in front of a sold-out crowd at Mary Bowers Field.
The righty allowed one run on two hits with one walk and 11 strikeouts.
With two away in the seventh, Dodge and Taelyn Holley worked back-to-back walks. Makenzie Butt followed, breaking the game open with a three-run homer to left field, stretching the lead to 6-0.
UAB finally broke up the no-hitter with back-to-back singles and pushed across a run in the bottom of the seventh on a fielder's choice.
DUE UP
Tennessee will play just one game on Saturday, facing off against Mercer at the Green and Gold Classic. First pitch is set for 8 p.m. ET.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Mardjetko, Sage (2-0)
L: P. Engemann (0-1)
Batting:
SH: L. Rowland 1
Batting:
2B: Dodge, Ella 1 ; Clarke, Emma 1
HR: Dodge, Ella 1 ; Butt, Makenzie 1
RBI: Dodge, Ella 3 ; Butt, Makenzie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Knight, Sophia 2 ; Leach, Gabby 1 ; Dodge, Ella 1 ; Butt, Makenzie 1
SB: Morgan, Saviya 1 ; Holley, Taelyn 1
CS: Knight, Sophia 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
2
H
3
RBI
0
dp/c
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballSB | Makenzie Butt Postgame vs. Missouri State & UAB (2.20.26)
Saturday, February 21
SB | Karen Weekly Postgame vs. Missouri State & UAB (2.20.26)
Saturday, February 21
SB | Sage Mardjetko Media Availability (2.18.26)
Wednesday, February 18
SB | Erin Nuwer Media Availability (2.18.26)
Wednesday, February 18
