KNOXVILLE — Lillian Hammond and her University of Tennessee softball teammates have had a smaller margin for error this season, and their results haven’t changed that thought.

Lady Vols co-head coaches Ralph and Karen Weekly could sign some of the nation’s best high school pitchers every season — and they’ve done just that — but it could take years to find another Monica Abbott.

Tennessee’s first postseason without Abbott’s imposing presence begins today at noon in Baton Rouge, La., with a first-round, Southeastern Conference tournament game against Georgia. Fourth-seeded Tennessee (46-13) was 14-12 in league play, while fifth-seeded Georgia (43-21) was 14-14.

Ranked No. 14 nationally, UT is a virtual lock for the NCAA tournament, and it could host a four-team regional next weekend. But this season has been different. The Lady Vols’ 3.17 earned-run average in SEC play looks pedestrian compared with Abbott’s 0.97 as a senior — or her 1.07, 1.08 and 1.20 the three previous seasons.

“We’re not winning many 1-0 games these days,” Karen Weekly said. “We have to score more runs to win now. We have to play a little bit better in every facet of our game than we’ve been playing.

“The margin for error is smaller.”

UT finished fourth overall in the SEC despite finishing fifth in runs scored and eighth in ERA during conference play. The Lady Vols looked great at times (a sweep of Georgia and series victory over LSU), but they also lost series to Auburn and league leaders Florida and Alabama.

The Lady Vols were swept by top-ranked Florida (59-2) in three close home games last weekend. But Hammond, a former Girls Prepatory School star, had found the silver lining by Wednesday.

“This has been a frustrating season at times, because this team has different strengths and weaknesses than when Monica was here, obviously,” Hammond said. “Losing all three games to Florida like that was tough, but it was also encouraging in a way.

“We know we can compete with any team in the country, and we know that we don’t have to make humongous changes to beat them. We just have to be a little bit better.”

After a tough transition from right-handed, high-school hitter to left-handed, college slapper, Hammond has blossomed as a junior. She’s played in 56 of UT’s 59 games, starting 50 times. Her .374 batting average is third on the team, and she’s second with 43 runs scored and 22 steals (in 23 attempts).

Senior pitcher Megan Rhodes sounded appreciative of Hammond’s perfect, 1.000 fielding percentage in left field, too.

“Lillian’s probably our hardest worker, and she gets our offense going when she gets on base,” Rhodes said. “If she can get on, she’s got a great chance of scoring if we just put the bat on the ball.”

Karen Weekly hoping for a performance similar to last weekend, when Hammond was 5-for-10 with two runs scored against the Gators.

“We’ve been struggling with figuring out the right combination in the 1-2 and 8-9 spots,” Karen Weekly said. “Lillian gave us great play from the 2 spot against Florida. That’s a great sign for her and our team going into postseason play.”