Transfer infielder Laura Mealer ties Tennessee softball single-game home run record with three

Laura Mealer has hit her stride with Tennessee softball – and she did it in a big way.

The junior infielder crushed three home runs in the No. 8 Lady Vols' 16-0 win over Missouri State on Friday, tying the Tennessee single-game home run record. Mealer had five RBIs and was a perfect 3-for-3 from the plate.

Mealer followed it with a two-run homer in Tennessee's 6-0 win over South Dakota in its Friday doubleheader.

Tennessee won its first three games of the weekend and outscored opponents 27-0. They Lady Vols will finish the home invitational with a second matchup against Ohio State on Sunday. They won the first matchup against the Buckeyes 5-0 on Saturday.

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Mealer, a Tennessee native, transferred from Middle Tennessee State. She was an offensive powerhouse for the Blue Raiders, but had a slower transition offensively, only logging seven hits and six RBIs before Friday's explosion. She more than doubled her RBI count in one day, and she's hitting her stride at the right time with SEC play beginning March 15 against No. 12 Missouri.

Mealer now leads the team in slugging percentage (1.000) and is third on the team in batting average (.367) and home runs (five).

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.