Tennessee softball's Laura Mealer responds to Karen Weekly's challenge with game-deciding homer

Coach Karen Weekly challenged Laura Mealer ahead of Tennessee softball's NCAA super regional with Alabama.

The junior shortstop hadn't scored a run since the postseason started and she had only three singles in the last four games. Mealer also didn't have a hit during Tennessee's regular-season series against the Tide.

"I challenged Laura a little bit to remember who she is," Weekly said Friday.

Mealer stepped up to the challenge and saved the day for the No. 3 seed Lady Vols in their series opener. Tennessee had only recorded one hit before she stepped to the plate and crushed a two-run homer to give the Lady Vols the 3-2 win over No. 14 seed Alabama on Friday at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.

There's a whole lot of déjà vu for Mealer in the NCAA super regional series against Alabama. Mealer "tore up" the Tuscaloosa Regional last season with Middle Tennessee State, Weekly said, which is why Tennessee wanted Mealer out of the transfer portal. That regional also happened to include Central Arkansas, where Alabama pitcher Kayla Beaver transferred from last offseason.

Mealer hit two home runs last season against Alabama in the NCAA regional. The second one was a two-run shot that gave MTSU the win and forced the extra game Sunday. She also went 4-for-7 with three RBIs and two runs scored in two games against Central Arkansas.

Weekly needed that version of Mealer again.

"I just said, 'Laura, that's who you are,' " Weekly said. "Doesn't matter what's happened the last week or the last two weeks or anything. I need you to go up there with a swagger and know that you can do damage any time the bat's in your hands."

Mealer watched the ball sail toward center field as she rounded first. Once she saw it clear the wall, she started leaping around second base, yelling at the rest of her team that had run out of the dugout to cheer her home.

"The emotions were just through the roof for everybody," Mealer said. "It was a hot day, we were dripping from head to toe, and I was just really leaning on my teammates. Everybody was there for me, and I could feel the confidence that everybody else had in me, which made me have more confidence in myself."

That's two postseasons in a row that the Chapel Hill, Tennessee, native has had stellar performances against Alabama.

"(Do) I have something against them – honestly, yes, I've been a Tennessee fan my whole life, so Alabama's not my favorite team," Mealer said.

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Mealer is hitting .283 with eight home runs, 26 RBIs and an on-base percentage of .417. Her OPS of .983 is the third-highest on the team.

Mealer's home run was a close one, just clearing the wall in center field, and Alabama's Kristen White made a leap for it. Mealer has seen home runs get robbed before, even though she said she didn't have "a whole lot of faith" White would make the catch.

"But as soon as I saw her come down without the ball, it was just the most amazing feeling that I could pull through for my team in that moment when we needed it," Mealer said.

Cora Hall covers University of Tennessee women’s athletics. Email her at cora.hall@knoxnews.com and follow her on Twitter @corahalll. If you enjoy Cora’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that allows you to access all of it.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee softball: Laura Mealer home run answers coach's challenge