Tennessee takes Game 1 of Knoxville Super Regional over Georgia behind Karlyn Pickens’ 10 Ks
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Karlyn Pickens’s complete-game, 10-strikeout performance helped Tennessee softball defeat Georgia 3-1 in Game 1 of the Knoxville Super Regional on Thursday night.
Pickens scattered seven hits across seven innings, walking three and giving up just one run on an Emily Digby solo shot in the top of the second. At the plate, the Lady Vols received home runs from Sophia Knight, Emma Clarke, and Alannah Leach to take the first game of the best-of-three series at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.
The Bulldogs had first and second with one out in the top of the first before Pickens got out of the inning with no further damage. In the bottom half, Knight opened the scoring with a drive to left, her first of the season, before Clarke took the first pitch she saw over the center field wall.
After Digby made it 2-1 in the second, it stayed that way until the fifth, when Leach restored the Lady Vols’ two-run cushion.
Addisen Fisher took the loss for the Dawgs after going 3.1 innings and allowing two runs on five hits. She walked two and struck out five.
Georgia needs a win on Friday to push the series to a third and deciding game on Saturday. Tennessee, meanwhile, will look to close things out and punch its ticket to a second straight Women’s College World Series. Friday’s first pitch from Rocky Top is set for 3 p.m. ET and will be televised.
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.
