Tennessee softball knows exactly what it must do to punch its ticket to the super regionals. On Sunday, the Lady Vols will need to beat Virginia once in two attempts to move on.

The first game of the set is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET on ESPN2. If Tennessee wins, it advances and will host the Knoxville Super Regional next weekend between the winner of No. 10 Georgia and Clemson. If UT loses the first game, the pair will play again at approximately 4:30 p.m. ET in a winner-take-all game. That “if necessary” match has no TV designation yet.

The regional finals will be a rematch of Saturday afternoon’s matchup, as well. The Lady Vols defeated Virginia 7-5 to earn their spot in the regional finals. Later on Saturday night, the Hoos took down Indiana for the second time in two days, 9-7, to secure their spot out of the loser’s bracket.

More From RTI: Everything Tennessee Softball HC Karen Weekly Said After Beating Virginia in Knoxville Regional

In Tennessee and Virginia’s first meeting of the Knoxville Regional, the Lady Vols jumped on UVA in a hurry. UT posted five runs in the first inning to take a lead it never gave up. Later in the game, Tennessee used solo home runs from Emma Clarke and Makenzie Butt to create a cushion.

Virginia’s bats did damage against the Lady Vols’ top two pitchers, though. Sage Mardjetko got the ball to start and allowed three runs on a three-run shot in four innings. Karlyn Pickens relieved her, but allowed two more runs on a home run.

If Tennessee advances, it will be the program’s 15th super regional appearance and fourth in a row. Virginia is looking for its first-ever appearance in the round. This is the Hoos’ fourth-ever NCAA Tournament berth, but third in a row.

PUTNAM COUNTY, Tenn. (WZTV) — A Tennessee grandfather wanted for kidnapping his two grandchildren was arrested without incident at a Cookeville hotel Thursday, with both children found safe, according to Putnam County Sheriffs.

Edward Fulton, was wanted out of Montgomery County for kidnapping two of his grandchildren.

Police put out an alert for him and his car. Deputies from Putnam County Sheriff’s Office found him at a Hampton Inn hotel in Cookeville, and arrested him.

The kids were safe and have been returned to their family.

SPRINGFIELD, TENN. (WTVF) — Robertson County Deputy Savanna Puckett was shot and killed in 2022 at just 22 years old — the victim of a man her family says had a violent past that no one could easily see.

Her mother, Kim Dodson, is determined to make sure other families have the tools to protect themselves. That fight led to “Savanna’s Law,” which creates Tennessee’s first public registry for repeat domestic violence offenders. Dodson is now working to spread the idea nationwide.

Dodson says her daughter spent her short life putting others first — whether serving with the Robertson County Sheriff’s Office, working at Vanderbilt, or volunteering in the community.

“She loved what she did. I know they called her mother hen up there because she was always trying to feed them and take care of them,” Dodson said.

But beneath the man charged in her killing was a record Dodson says even her deputy daughter could not find: four prior domestic violence and stalking charges.

After the murder, Dodson began working with lawmakers to ask a simple question: “Why don’t we have a registry?”

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation now oversees the new Domestic Violence Offender Registry, which began Jan. 1, 2026. Under the law:

• Repeat offenders convicted of qualifying domestic violence crimes must register publicly.
• The registry includes names, conviction counties, conviction dates and, in some cases, photographs.
• Those convicted must have at least one prior domestic violence-related conviction.
• Depending on their criminal history, offenders remain on the registry between five and 20 years.

Dodson points out Tennessee already has registries for sex offenders, animal abusers, and elder abuse perpetrators. She says adding domestic violence offenders was long overdue.

Dodson knows the registry cannot prevent every violent crime, but she hopes it can give families access to information her daughter never had.

“If Savanna had this to look up, I don’t believe she would ever have gotten involved with him. If I can save one person — another mother, another grandmother — it’s worth it,” Dodson said.

Advocates from 12 other states have reached out, hoping to replicate the law. Dodson’s ultimate goal is to pass a federal law making the registry nationwide.

Until then, she says she’ll keep pushing — both in the legislature and in the community — through the Deputy Puckett Foundation.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Neighbors transform Antioch Pike after deadly hit-and-run

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Here’s a story offering a great example of how a common cause, and a little creativity, can “intersect” to improve quality of life. Our South Nashville reporter Patsy Montesinos shares how some neighbors decided to take action, following the tragic death of a 77-year-old in a hit-and-run along Antioch Pike earlier this year. See how they used “tactical urbanism” to make the area a little safer for all.

– Rhori Johnston