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What's next for Tennessee softball in the Women's College World Series semifinals

IMG_3593by: Grant Ramey05/31/26GrantRamey

Tennessee softball is one win away from playing in the three-game national championship series at the Women’s College World Series. But the Lady Vols will have to wait a day to try to take that next step. 

After the 2-1 win over No. 11 Texas Tech in nine innings on Saturday, No. 7 Tennessee is now off until Monday, when the Lady Vols will either get a rematch with No. 2 Texas or face No. 4 Nebraska at Noon Eastern Time on ESPN.

Texas or Nebraska would have to beat Tennessee twice on Monday — the second game, if necessary, would start at 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN — to eliminate the Lady Vols in the double-elimination format.

Alabama on other side of Women’s College World Series semifinals

No. 1 Alabama on Saturday night joined Tennessee in the semifinals with a 5-1 win over Nebraska. The Crimson Tide will face either No. 8 UCLA or Texas Tech on Monday and would also have to lose twice to be eliminated.

The Lady Vols beat Texas 6-3 on Thursday in their opener at Devon Park in Oklahoma City. The Longhorns stayed alive with a 4-0 win over Mississippi State on Friday and will face Nebraska in an elimination game on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on ABC.

Texas Tech and UCLA will follow in another elimination game at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. 

Game 1 of the championship series is scheduled for Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. Game 2 will be Thursday and the potential Game 3 would be Friday, with both games also being 8 p.n. ET starts on ESPN.

Tennessee looking for third trip to championship series

Tennessee is 2-0 in the Women’s College World Series for the first time since 2013. The Lady Vols are in the semifinals for the eighth time in program history and looking to get back to the championship series for a third time.

Tennessee lost in two games in the championship series to Oklahoma in 2013 and in three games to Arizona in 2007.

The Lady Vols are in the Women’s College World Series for the third time in the last four years.

Last year Tennessee went 2-2 in Oklahoma City, losing to Oklahoma in the opener before wins over Florida and UCLA to stay alive in the double-elimination format. The Lady Vols were eliminated in a 2-0 loss to Texas in the semifinals.

The 2023 College World Series started with a win over Alabama, then a loss to Oklahoma. Tennessee stayed alive with a win over Oklahoma State, then saw its season end in a loss to Florida State.