The Tennessee Lady Vols Softball team continued their dominance over in-state teams under head coaches Ralph and Karen Weekly with a 5-0 win over East Tennessee State. 

The Lady Vols (34-9-1) moved to 56-0 against other "Volunteer State" teams under the Weeklys. Tennessee has 61 straight wins against in-state programs.

Nicole Kajitani got things started for the Lady Vols in the third when she reached base with a walk. Kelly Grieve reached base with a bunt, putting runners on first and second.

Tiffany Huff drove a single to left that scored Kajitani from second. Jessica Spigner followed it up with a perfect bunt to score Grieve from third and give the Lady Vols the lead.

The RBI by Huff set a new career high for her in a single season with 59.

"It is really nice to be hitting behind speed because it can help when you don't have a great hit, but they can still score from second," said Huff. "I worked extra hard this fall to get to here, so the hard work has paid off, but I want to keep improving."

Cat Hosfield and Tennessee escaped a jam in the top of the fifth inning when ETSU had runners on second and third with only one out. Hosfield got a strikeout and then forced an easy ground out to protect the lead.

"I thought she threw a good game," said head coach Ralph Weekly. "She's the toughest pitcher I have ever had. The only thing that bothered me was that she allowed the lead-off hitter on in the fifth and seventh. That's something we really have been working hard on."

Hosfield pitched her fifth shutout of the season, giving up only four hits while striking out four.

In the fifth, Kelly Grieve hustled out an infield single to lead off the inning. She then stole second and third bases. The steals, her 30^th and 31^st on the season, surpassed Lady Vol All-American Sarah Fekete for fifth most in a season and pulls Grieve within 12 of the single season record.

"She had an ankle injury at Florida," said Weekly, "but she's heeled right now. She's a very fast kid and we are going to run her every chance we get. I hope she gets the record. It might just depend on how many games we play."

Nicole Kajitani continued her hot streak from this past weekend against Auburn, which earned her SEC Player of the Week honors. In the sixth inning, Kajitani hit a double to the gap that scored two insurance runs for the Lady Vols.

"I just love to contribute to my team," said Kajitani. "Some of us have been struggling and I know how it feels, so I know that it's great when I can help pick them up. It's an awesome feeling to contribute and help the team win."

 "Kajitani is playing at a whole new level," said Weekly. "She's hitting the ball hard and we put her at third today and she played real well. She can play everywhere we put her."

After Kajitani advanced to third on a wild pitch, Grieve legged out another single and Kajitani scored. Grieve then stole second again to match her career high for a single game with three, which was also against ETSU, last season.

"I don't try to think about the steals," said Grieve. "I have to get on first to be able to steal. My goal as a slap hitter is to get on and steal bases so that any hit can get us in and score runs even if it's a weak hit or blooper."

With the three steals, the sophomore also moved into sixth place overall for Lady Vols in a career.

Overall for the game, Tennessee struggled with only eight hits on 26 attempts.

"I am happy that we won," said Weekly. "I am disappointed that we are not making the adjustments that we need to make to make us a better team. At this level, you have to make hitting adjustments. We didn't adjust to their pitcher."

The Lady Vols will travel to Mississippi this weekend for a three-game series against Ole Miss on Saturday and Sunday.