The first weekend of Tennessee softball's season is in the books.

From Thursday to Sunday, the Lady Vols (5-1) played in six games in the NFCA Leadoff Classic. The result was an opening day loss before five consecutive wins.

Here's what happened.

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Tennessee got a tough test against a ranked Nebraska team to open the season. The Lady Vols were on the wrong side of the showdown, though, with the Huskers running away with it.

After taking a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning, it was all Nebraska from there. It scored five runs in the fifth before adding two more in the seventh for insurance.

Jorday Bahl, one of the best pitchers in the country, shut down the Tennessee lineup while going the distance and allowing just five hits and a run. Karyln Pickens took to the circle for the Lady Vols and went five innings before being pulled with no earned runs, five hits and 11 strikeouts.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Karlyn Pickens - 5.0 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 11 K, 2 HBP, 82 NP

Tennessee responded from its opening loss with a big win against Bethune-Cookman. The Lady Vols gave the ball to freshman Erin Nuwer who tossed a no-hitter in her debut.

In the five-inning, run-rule shortened game, she threw the entire match while striking out eight batters.

On offense, Tennessee struck early by putting up five first-inning runs. Six players were responsible for RBI with Laura Mealer and Amayah Doyle both earning two on home runs.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Erin Nuwer - 5.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, 1 WP, 75 NP

Tennessee followed up its run-rule win with another dominant game on the same day. Facing the Hawkeyes, the Lady Vols fell into a 1-0 hole after two innings before coming alive.

They would put up 10 unanswered runs including a seven-spot in the fifth inning to force the run-rule.

Tennessee got homers from McKenna Gibson and Sophia Nugent with a dominant pitching performance by Sage Mardjetko.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: McKenna Gibson - 4 AB, 1 R, 3 H, 5 RBI, 1 HR

Tennessee continued its momentum the following day against Notre Dame. For the third-straight match, it powered past an opponent in just five innings due to a run-rule.

It was the freshman Nuwer once again getting the start for the Lady Vols. She was relieved by Peyton Tanner after 2.1 innings who went the rest of the way. Nuwer allowed her first hit but no earned runs.

Tennessee's offense put up four runs in the second and third inning to push past the Irish. This included a home run by Taylor Pannell.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Saviya Morgan - 3 AB, 1 R, 3 H, 2 RBI

Tennessee continued to build on its momentum by clobbering a ranked Northwestern team.

After one inning, it was just a 2-1 Lady Vols lead. However, Tennessee produced seven runs across the next two innings before applying a final blow of three in the fifth to run-rule yet another opponent.

Ella Dodge hit two home runs and Pickens pitched while earning her first win of the year.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Ella Dodge - 2 AB, 2 R, 2 H, 4 RBI, 2 HR

Tennessee finally got taken down to the wire for a full seven innings against Pittsburgh in the final game of the trip.

The Lady Vols were able to hang on to a win this time, though. The bulk of the work was done in the second inning, which featured five runs for Tennessee.

This would be too much for the Panthers to overcome.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Kinsey Fielder - 3 AB, 1 R, 2 H, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 3B

- Fri: at McNeese State (5 p.m ET)

- Fri: at McNeese State (7 p.m.)

- Sat: vs. Tulsa (noon) (Beaumont, Texas)

- Sat: vs. Lamar (5 p.m.) (Beaumont, Texas)

- Sun: vs. Nicholls (10:30 a.m.) (Beaumont, Texas)

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