Lady Vols to host softball regional

A brief look of the Knoxville Regional of the NCAA softball tournament.

The Lady Vols will host a regional in the NCAA Tournament, playing its first game Friday at 2:30 p.m. EDT against Eastern Kentucky.

Tennessee (41-13) is the No. 9 national seed and has a tough road if they are going to make the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

The Knoxville Regional at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium features host UT, an at-large team from the Southeastern Conference, and three conference champions in the Colonels, Liberty and James Madison.

The Flames (42-13), won the Atlantic Sun Conference and will take on the Dukes (34-1) at noon EDT Friday.

James Madison won the Colonial Athletic Association title and comes to Rocky Top riding a 24-game winning streak.

Eastern Kentucky (35-15) won the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.

The Lady Vols played the Colonels and the Flames during the 2021 regular season.

Tennessee downed Eastern Kentucky twice, sweeping a season-opening double header on Valentine’s day. The Lady Vols won those games 13-0 and 3-2.

Tennessee also downed the Flames 6-0 on March 30 in Knoxville.

Should the Lady Vols win their bracket, they’ll potentially face No. 8 Missouri.

The Tigers took two out three from UT in an SEC series in Knoxville earlier this month.