Staff report
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Tennessee’s softball team won 6-3 against Texas on Thursday to get off to a good start in the double-elimination portion of the College World Series.
Sophomore Emma Clarke (West Rowan) is one of the key hitters for the Vols (48-10). Clarke’s sac fly scored the final run for Tennessee after the Longhorns had cut a 5-0 deficit to 5-3.
Clarke also had a single in the third inning.
The 6-foot-1 slugger is batting .274. The sac fly was her 35th RBI of the season. She has 13 homers, 10 doubles and 33 runs scored.
Tennessee does not play on Friday and will take on Texas Tech at 3 p.m. on ABC on Saturday.
The other winners in the first round were Alabama and Nebraska.
Facing elimination games on Friday are Texas, Mississippi State, UCLA and Arkansas.
Five of the eight teams in the field are from the SEC.
Softball World Series, May 28-June 5
at Oklahoma City
Thursday, May 28
Game 1 – Texas Tech 8, Mississippi State 0
Game 2 – Tennessee 6, Texas 3
Game 3 – Alabama 6, UCLA 3
Game 4 – Nebraska 5, Arkansas 3
Friday, May 29
Game 5- Texas vs. Mississippi State, elimination game, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Game 6- Arkansas vs. UCLA, elimination game, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
Saturday, May 30
Game 7 – Tennessee vs. Texas Tech, 3 p.m. (ABC)
Game 8 – Alabama vs. Nebraska, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Sunday, May 31
Game 9 – 3 p.m., ABC
Game 10 – 7 p.m., ESPN2
Monday, June 1
Game 11 – 3 p.m., ABC
Game 12 – 7 p.m., ESPN2 (if needed)
Game 13 – 7 p.m., ESPN
Game 14 – 9:30 p.m. (if needed)
Championship Series. Best of 3, June 3-5
