Morgan Frye connected on a grand slam in the fifth inning to help No. 17 Berry cruise to a 9-0 (5) win over Rhodes in the Southern Athletic Association softball opener for both teams in Memphis, Tenn., Saturday afternoon.

"Today was a full team win," said Berry head coach Emily Stanley. "I am proud of how we all came together to make it happen. Our pitching and defense were both very strong, and our offense was explosive. We are looking to continue that passion and energy tomorrow."

Fresh from winning the SAA Pitcher of the Week award last Monday, Hannah Gore (3-0) staked a claim to it again early in the weekend by pitching four shutout innings, allowing just one hit while fanning seven.

Berry (4-3, 1-0 SAA) struck first witen Riley Jackson come home on a passed ball in the second. Later in the inning, with the bases loaded, Coach Stanley rolled the dice and brought in Katie White as a pinch hitter. The move would work as White smashed a bases-clearing double to left to give the Vikings a 4-0 lead.

One inning later, Anna Jackson would pull a 1-0 pitch down the line in left for a solo homer to give the Vikings a 5-0 lead.

That would all set the stage for Frye's home run. On a 3-2 pitch, the sophomore drilled a shot to dead center for her first homer of the season, giving the Vikings the 9-0 lead.

Danielle Sudick would come in to pitch the bottom of the fifth to close out the Lynx (7-2, 0-1 SAA), giving the Vikings their first SAA win of the year.

The Vikings had seven hits as a team, with Jackson being the only Viking with multiple hits. Frye also walked twice as the Vikings as a team drew six walks from Rhodes pitching.

The two teams will renew acquaintences Sunday afternoon for a doubleheader. First pitch in game one is set for 1 p.m. EST.