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RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University softball team opens the Knoxville Regional on Friday against No. 9 national seed University of Tennessee in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
 
First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. ET.
 
The winner of the game will move on to the semifinals on Saturday at noon ET. The loser falls to the elimination part of the bracket at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. The No. 2 seed Liberty will take on the No. 3 seed James Madison at noon on Friday.
 
The Knoxville Regional is operating at full capacity this weekend.
 
Fans can follow along with live stats or watch live on ESPN3.
 
Inside the Series                                                                                                                   
-Tennessee comes into the weekend at 41-13 (12-11 SEC) after falling in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference Tournament to Alabama, 6-5.
 
-Tennessee leads the all-time series between the two teams, 12-0, after sweeping a doubleheader against the Colonels to open the season.
 
-Kiki Milloy and Amanda Ayala lead the offensive charge for the Volunteers with a team-best .364 batting average on the season. Milloy has 56 hits, two doubles, three triples, 13 home runs and 36 RBIs. Ayala is hitting .361 with 11 doubles, nine home runs and 30 RBIs.
 
-Ashley Rogers leads the way in the circle for Tennessee. Rogers is 25-8 on the season with a 1.26 ERA. She has 278 strikeouts in 200 innings pitched. Rogers has 23 compete games on the year.
 
What EKU Brings:
-EKU comes into the weekend at 35-15 (22-9 OVC) after knocking off Southeast Missouri State, 5-4, in the championship game of the Ohio Valley Conference tournament.
 
-Sammi Miller and Carly Robinson pace the Colonel offense. Miller has a team-best .419 batting average, with 13 doubles, three triples, five home runs and 24 RBIs. Robinson is hitting .325 with six doubles, a team-high nine home runs and 40 RBIs.
 
-Samantha Reynoso was named MVP of the OVC tournament after posting an 1-0 record with a 0.72 ERA over nine and two-third innings pitched.
 
-Tori Peterson and Mollie Paulick lead the way in the circle for the Colonels. Peterson is 16-5 on the season with a 2.25 ERA. Peterson is second in OVC play with 12 wins on the year. Paulick is 12-1 with a team-best 2.06 ERA with 82 strikeouts.
 
-The Colonels currently rank 61st in the nation in doubles which is second in the OVC.