Tennessee advances to Super Regional behind another stellar outing from Karlyn Pickens
By Ethan Stone
Published:
Karlyn Pickens is inevitable.
Tennessee softball saw another immaculate outing from Pickens on Sunday, who tossed a complete game with 9 strikeouts, 1 earned run and 2 hits allowed to beat Virginia, 5-1. With that, the Lady Vols advance to the Super Regional round for the 4th straight season and 15th time in program history, having finished undefeated in the Knoxville Regional.
The Lady Vols are the 7th SEC team (so far) to punch their ticket to the Super Regional.
Tennessee’s bats were slow and methodical, adding runs in the 3rd, 4th and 5th innings before adding a pair of runs in the 6th as Virginia pitcher Taylor Smith started to lose control.
A crucial moment in this game came in the top of the 5th inning, when Tennessee’s Makenzie Butt drove in a run with a single straight down the middle of Virginia’s defense. At that point in the game the score was only 2-1 in favor of Tennessee, and Virginia needed just one out to get to the bottom of the 5th with a chance to tie things up. Instead, Tennessee went ahead by 2, leading to a 2-run 6th inning that all but put Virginia to bed.
Tennessee will face No. 10 Georgia next weekend in Knoxville.
Ethan Stone is a Tennessee graduate and loves all things college football and college basketball. Firm believer in fouling while up 3.
