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More Softball

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The No. 5-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols must like their new softball digs.

UT (11-1) christened newly constructed Lee Stadium on Thursday with a victory against BYU and followed that by making quick work of Virginia in the Tennessee Classic on Friday.

Senior pitcher Megan Rhodes improved to 4-0 with a one-hitter as the Lady Vols coasted to an 8-0, five-inning victory,

UT put it away early after erupting for five runs in the second inning.

Sophomore Erinn Webb (2-for-2) got things started with a two-run single in the second. Sophomore Anita Manuma (2-for-3) later crushed a three-run homer to center field for her round-tripper of the season.

Webb struck again in the third with an RBI single to score Tiffany Huff (2-for-3, three runs) and give UT a 6-0 cushion.

"I thought Megan Rhodes pitched really well tonight," co-head coach Ralph Weekly said. "Virginia, a good hitting team, had scored six runs in their previous game today. Megan came out and quieted their bats.

"Tiffany Huff hit extremely well, and it was nice to see Anita Manuma get extended on her home run. Erinn Webb continues to be torrid at the plate."

Virginia (1-6) collected its hit off Rhodes on a Lindsey Preuss two-out double in the fourth.

Tennessee closed out the run-rule victory with two more scores in the bottom of the fifth. Jennifer Lapicki and Manuma each singled in runs with the bases loaded.

Early morning rains on Friday forced some alterations to the schedule of the inaugural Tennessee Classic.

Games were pushed back from an original start time of 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. That meant UT's scheduled late game against Wagner was moved to a 2:30 p.m. start today, replacing the originally scheduled Tennessee-BYU rematch.

In early games Friday: Louisiana-Monroe defeated BYU 4-2, BYU bounced back by beating Wagner 10-0 in five innings and Virginia beat Louisian-Monroe 6-3.

The schedule today has BYU playing Virginia at 10 a.m., Virginia vs. Wagner at 12:15 p.m., UT vs. Wagner at 2:30 and UT vs. Louisiana-Monroe at 5 p.m.