MIAMI NOTES

RedHawks face Lady Vols in latest challenge

Miami softball faces another big challenge Friday when the RedHawks meet Tennessee in a 1:30 p.m. ET game at Sheri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville. 

For relatives and fans intent on attending the contest (or others over the weekend), be advised it is graduation weekend at UT. Traffic around Neyland Drive and UT's campus will be heavy at times. 

• Parking is free in lots S14 and C25 (by the stadium)

Parking and shuttles . . . 

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. . . will be free and available at the Agriculture Campus all weekend. 

• Shuttle Information
Friday, May 16: Beginning at noon
Saturday, May 17: Beginning at 10:30 a.m.
Sunday, May 18: Beginning at 10:30 a.m.

• Limited walkup tickets are available, beginning one hour prior to first pitch of the first game each day. 
•  Gates at the stadium open for the first game at 12:30 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. Sunday.

•  Tennessee is one of just two teams to host regionals every season since the NCAA switched to a regional and super-regional format in 2005. 

• The Vols have been a softball powerhouse for many years. Among the team's alumni is Monica Abbott. She played for Tennessee from 2004-2007 and is considered one of the NCAA's greatest pitchers of all time. 

• This is UT's 21st straight NCAA appearance. 

•  Tennessee brings a 40-14 record to the NCAA tourney. The Lady Vols are ranked No. 10 nationally in the NCAA women's softball RPI and No. 6 in the USA Softball Top 25 poll.

"We love a challenge. We've risen to the occasion several times this year, and we're ready to do it again," Miami Head Coach Mandy Gardner-Coleman said. "We're having a blast, really. We've hit valleys. We've hit peaks, but right now we're just nice and steady. We're really connected and we're playing our best ball. 

•  UT was a No. 4 seed in the recent SEC tournament, but was defeated by Arkansas 6-1. Just prior to that, Tennessee met top-ranked Texas A&M in a three-game set, winning one (5-1) and losing two (1-0 and 13-2). 
In their last eight games, the Lady Vols are 3-5. 

SCHEDULE/RESULTS:

•  UT's top weapon is pitcher Karlyn Pickens, recently named a Top 10 finalist for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year.
Pickens broke Monica Abbot's record for fastest pitch ever in March, throwing a 78.2 mph strike against Arkansas. 

SEE THE PITCH HERE:

Pickens is 20-8 on the season, with a 0.92 ERA. Opponents are batting.168 against her. Among the 105 hits allowed are 13 doubles and five homers. 

Pickens, a sophomore, and Taylor Pannell were both First Team All-SEC honorees. The latter led UT's offense with a .413 batting average. 

MORE TEAM STATS: 

• INFO-WARS - Both Miami and Tennessee will have scrambled since Sunday night to gain as much "scouting" information as possible - scrutinizing video, stats and anything else that might help. 
 In fact, some of the same applies to other possible opponents (i.e. Ohio State, North Carolina). However, first things first!

• CONFIDENCE FACTOR - After sputtering through a mid-season slump to come back for a regular season championship, the RedHawks again overcame adversity in the MAC Tournament to win that title. Those accomplishments are worth some confidence, and so is the experience gained playing a tough non-conference schedule. 
"We built a really tough (pre-MAC) season for a reason," Gardner-Colegate said. "We were in ... those games. ... We were one play away from beating some of those teams. Those mistakes that we were making when the season started back in February, we're not making now. We were able to grow and learn." 

• Miami has two wins all-time against Tennessee, which has won six MU vs UT meetings in the past. 

• With MU playing in Knoxville last year, a number of players will be familiar with the facility and -- to a degree -- the atmosphere. They did not meet the Vols in 2024 NCAA play, but it was a regional test. 

• PLAYING WELL
We're pitching the ball really well. We're playing defense really well and, obviously, hitting the cover off the ball, Gardner-Colegate said. "Like I've told them many times. We're not always playing an opponent. We're playing ourselves. When we play our best ball, we can beat anybody.