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#25 South Carolina Gamecocks
(22-15) Overall (2-7) SEC
@
#7 Tennessee Lady Vols
(30-5) Overall (7-5) SEC
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – No. 7 Tennessee looks to get back on track in SEC play as it plays host to No. 25 South Carolina this weekend at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium. The series is set for Thursday-Saturday, April 2-4.
The Lady Vols (30-5, 7-5 SEC) have dropped their last two conference series and welcome in a South Carolina (22-15, 2-7 SEC) squad that is looking for its first series win in league play.
BROADCAST INFO
Friday and Saturday's contests will be available to stream on SEC Network+ or through the WatchESPN app. Charley Collier (play-by-play) and Rylie West (analyst) will call the action on Thursday, with Jill Jelnick joining West in the booth on Friday. Saturday's game will be broadcast on SEC Network. Kevin Fitzgerald (play-by-play) and Danielle Lawrie (analyst) will describe the action.
Fans can also listen to Voice of the Lady Vols Brian Rice call the action via a free audio stream on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics Gameday App. Streaming, live stats, and radio links are available on the Tennessee softball schedule page at UTSports.com.
NOTABLE
RANKINGS
Tennessee enters the weekend at No. 7 in the NFCA poll, with a No. 8 ranking in the USA Softball and D1Softball polls. Softball America has UT at No. 11.
PITCHING LEADS THE WAY
Tennessee's dominance in the circle continues to be the backbone of its success under pitching coach Megan Rhodes Smith. The Lady Vols rank among the nation's best in nearly every major category, including No. 1 nationally this season in ERA (1.08), WHIP (0.75), shutouts (14) and hits allowed (93), while also sitting top 10 in strikeouts per seven innings and strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Since Rhodes Smith's return in 2021, Tennessee has consistently produced elite arms, including multiple 20-game winners and a steady stream of historic performances. The staff has combined for 12 no-hitters and four perfect games during that span.
TWINS HEATING UP
Junior outfielders and twins Gabby Leach and Alannah Leach have continued to shine for the Lady Vols, following breakout postseason performances in 2025.
Gabby Leach is hitting .316 with 35 runs scored. She has six doubles, six home runs and 26 RBIs. The right fielder has 14 putouts, one assist and helped turn a 9-4-6 double play in the opening weekend of the season.
Against LSU, Gabby hit two home runs in Game 2 of the series before hitting a walk-off three-run homer to clinch the series sweep in Game 3.
Alannah Leach is batting .333 with 16 runs, five home runs and 11 RBIs. She has three stolen bases. Over in left field, Alannah has 25 putouts.
On March 7, the twins hit back-to-back home runs in the sixth inning against LSU. It was the first time they went back-to-back at any level of softball in their careers and marked the first time sisters have hit back-to-back bombs in Tennessee softball history.
SEC SUCCESS
Tennessee has been one of the best teams in the SEC since the beginning of the 2023 season, winning 23 of 28 series. That run includes nine sweeps. South Carolina's last visit to Knoxville was the final weekend of the 2023 season. Tennessee won Games 1 and 2 to clinch its second SEC regular-season title in program history. The Lady Vols and Gamecocks met a week later in the SEC Tournament Championship Game in Fayetteville, Arkansas, which UT won 3-1.
MAGIC NUMBER
Since the beginning of the 2023 season, the Lady Vols' magic number has been three (3). Tennessee is 159-9 when scoring three or more runs over that span.
SCOUTING SOUTH CAROLINA
Head Coach (Record at SC): Ashley Chastain Woodard (66-32)
2026 Record: 22-15, 2-7 SEC
Series Record: Tennessee leads, 47-23
In Knoxville: Tennessee leads, 23-9
In Columbia: Tennessee leads, 21-14
At Neutral Sites: Tennessee leads, 3-0
Last Meeting: Tennessee won 8-0 (6) on March 25, 2024, in Columbia.
DUE UP
Tennessee closes out its nine-game homestand with a pair of midweek games against ETSU on April 7 and Kennesaw State on April 8.
(22-15) Overall (2-7) SEC
@
#7 Tennessee Lady Vols
(30-5) Overall (7-5) SEC
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – No. 7 Tennessee looks to get back on track in SEC play as it plays host to No. 25 South Carolina this weekend at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium. The series is set for Thursday-Saturday, April 2-4.
The Lady Vols (30-5, 7-5 SEC) have dropped their last two conference series and welcome in a South Carolina (22-15, 2-7 SEC) squad that is looking for its first series win in league play.
BROADCAST INFO
Friday and Saturday's contests will be available to stream on SEC Network+ or through the WatchESPN app. Charley Collier (play-by-play) and Rylie West (analyst) will call the action on Thursday, with Jill Jelnick joining West in the booth on Friday. Saturday's game will be broadcast on SEC Network. Kevin Fitzgerald (play-by-play) and Danielle Lawrie (analyst) will describe the action.
Fans can also listen to Voice of the Lady Vols Brian Rice call the action via a free audio stream on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics Gameday App. Streaming, live stats, and radio links are available on the Tennessee softball schedule page at UTSports.com.
NOTABLE
RANKINGS
Tennessee enters the weekend at No. 7 in the NFCA poll, with a No. 8 ranking in the USA Softball and D1Softball polls. Softball America has UT at No. 11.
PITCHING LEADS THE WAY
Tennessee's dominance in the circle continues to be the backbone of its success under pitching coach Megan Rhodes Smith. The Lady Vols rank among the nation's best in nearly every major category, including No. 1 nationally this season in ERA (1.08), WHIP (0.75), shutouts (14) and hits allowed (93), while also sitting top 10 in strikeouts per seven innings and strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Since Rhodes Smith's return in 2021, Tennessee has consistently produced elite arms, including multiple 20-game winners and a steady stream of historic performances. The staff has combined for 12 no-hitters and four perfect games during that span.
TWINS HEATING UP
Junior outfielders and twins Gabby Leach and Alannah Leach have continued to shine for the Lady Vols, following breakout postseason performances in 2025.
Gabby Leach is hitting .316 with 35 runs scored. She has six doubles, six home runs and 26 RBIs. The right fielder has 14 putouts, one assist and helped turn a 9-4-6 double play in the opening weekend of the season.
Against LSU, Gabby hit two home runs in Game 2 of the series before hitting a walk-off three-run homer to clinch the series sweep in Game 3.
Alannah Leach is batting .333 with 16 runs, five home runs and 11 RBIs. She has three stolen bases. Over in left field, Alannah has 25 putouts.
On March 7, the twins hit back-to-back home runs in the sixth inning against LSU. It was the first time they went back-to-back at any level of softball in their careers and marked the first time sisters have hit back-to-back bombs in Tennessee softball history.
SEC SUCCESS
Tennessee has been one of the best teams in the SEC since the beginning of the 2023 season, winning 23 of 28 series. That run includes nine sweeps. South Carolina's last visit to Knoxville was the final weekend of the 2023 season. Tennessee won Games 1 and 2 to clinch its second SEC regular-season title in program history. The Lady Vols and Gamecocks met a week later in the SEC Tournament Championship Game in Fayetteville, Arkansas, which UT won 3-1.
MAGIC NUMBER
Since the beginning of the 2023 season, the Lady Vols' magic number has been three (3). Tennessee is 159-9 when scoring three or more runs over that span.
SCOUTING SOUTH CAROLINA
Head Coach (Record at SC): Ashley Chastain Woodard (66-32)
2026 Record: 22-15, 2-7 SEC
Series Record: Tennessee leads, 47-23
In Knoxville: Tennessee leads, 23-9
In Columbia: Tennessee leads, 21-14
At Neutral Sites: Tennessee leads, 3-0
Last Meeting: Tennessee won 8-0 (6) on March 25, 2024, in Columbia.
DUE UP
Tennessee closes out its nine-game homestand with a pair of midweek games against ETSU on April 7 and Kennesaw State on April 8.
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