Tennessee pitcher Karlyn Pickens leaves game vs. Belmont with apparent shoulder injury
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Tennessee pitcher Karlyn Pickens, the SEC Pitcher of the Year in back-to-back seasons, was forced to exit in the second inning of the Lady Volunteers’ non-conference game against Belmont with an apparent right shoulder injury. That’s according to a report from the Knoxville News’ Cora Hall.
Pickens was already off to a blazing start to the 2026 season. She entered Tuesday’s game with a 6-0 mark and a stellar 0.62 ERA. In eight games (six starts) and 45.1 innings pitched, she has allowed just four earned runs, 16 hits, and 20 walks while striking out 66.
Tennessee, the No. 1 team in the country in all four major softball polls, brought a 19-0 record into Tuesday’s game in Knoxville. The Lady Volunteers are coming off a Women’s College World Series appearance, their second in the last three seasons and ninth in program history.
In 2025, Pickens went 25-11 with a 1.17 ERA and 306 strikeouts, claiming her second straight SEC Pitcher of the Year award. She had the two fastest pitches in softball history during the season.
She pitched to a 22.7 record and a 1.12 ERA in 2024 while striking out 225. In 2023, she was the conference’s freshman of the year after a 9-7 record.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
