The Lady Vols softball team is set to host a regional for the 21st consecutive season. The Lady Vols ended the regular season as the No. 8 team in the country and finished with a 42-10 overall record.
However, the regional draw the Lady Vols got isn’t the easiest. The team has Northern Kentucky, Indiana, and Virginia to contend with in Knoxville. Indiana and Virginia combined for 80 wins while playing in tough conferences, and Virginia was even ranked as high as No. 12 in the nation at one point.
Anything can happen in the postseason, but the Lady Vols are definitely the most talented overall team in the region. So, what does the team need to do to advance to the next round? Let’s identify three keys for the Lady Vols.
Pitching has to stay elite
The Lady Vols lead the country in team ERA with a stellar 1.33 mark. All three of the team’s primary starting pitchers have an ERA below 1.60 on the season, which is incredible in this day and age. If the ladies continue pitching like this, it’s going to be hard to beat them.
However, there is at least one team that is capable of getting to Tennessee’s pitching. The Hoosiers are 12th in the nation in team batting average and 21st in home runs. There’s a scenario where the Hoosiers hit like crazy, and the Lady Vols struggle to keep up.
In the postseason, one off pitching performance can ruin you. The Vols’ pitchers just need to do what they’ve done all season, especially against Indiana, and they’ll be just fine.
Bottom of the order has to hit
The Lady Vols have gotten to where they are because of their pitching. While the team has the best ERA in the country, its hitting has been a different story. Entering the postseason, the Lady Vols are just 148th in the country in team batting average.
Sophia Knight has been among the best hitters in the country and sports a .420 average. However, the bottom of the order has frequently failed to produce, and that can’t happen this weekend. The Lady Vols have five regular batters who hit below .300 this season. Now would be a better time than ever to have one or two players at the bottom help out the stars at the top.
Have a short memory
The Lady Vols ended the regular season having won four SEC series in a row. Then, the SEC Tournament came, and the team lost in the first game to Ole Miss. It was a disappointing loss considering how hot the team had been, but it has to be put in the past.
It’s easy to let losses accumulate, especially when you aren’t used to losing much. The Lady Vols only lost 10 games all year before the tournament, so they have to have a short memory and move on to the postseason. Forget about the fact that you only had four hits as a team against Ole Miss and focus on what you’ve done all season.
Simply put, if Tennessee plays their game, they should have no trouble moving on.
