No. 7 national seed Tennessee relied on their two-time SEC Pitcher of the Year Karlyn Pickens to lock down the Nebraska offense as the Lady Vols (44-15) evened the Super Regional at one game a piece in a 3-2 victory Saturday in Knoxville, Tenn.
Pickens surrendered two first-inning runs on three hits, then effectively shutdown the Cornhuskers’ (43-14) offense, allowing just a walk and a hit batter while facing just one batter over the minimum in the next five innings. Nebraska mounted a threat in the seventh with two hits, but Ava Bredwell flied to center to end the game. Pickens (23-9) struck out 11 and walked just one while allowing two earned runs in seven innings.
The Lady Vols jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first. Gabby Leach was hit by a pitch to lead off the game. She scored two batters later when Ella Dodge clubbed a two-run home run to right to put Tennessee ahead, 2-0. That was the first deficit Nebraska has faced the entire NCAA Tournament. They quickly erased it in the bottom of the first inning. After Jordy Bahl and Samantha Bland singled, Ava Kuszak lined out to right field, moving Bahl to third and Kuszak to second. Hannah Camenzind singled off Pickens’ leg, scoring two and tying the game.
But Pickens put the Huskers’ bats in the freezer after that. Meanwhile, Tennessee took the lead for good in the top of the third. After a leadoff walk to Leach, Sophia Nugent singled to center. A fielder’s choice erased Nugent’s pinch runner, Katie Taylor, but moved Leach to third. She scored one batter later when McKenna Gibson hit a sacrifice fly to right.
Bahl (26-7) took the loss, her first in NCAA play against 11 wins. She allowed three earned runs on four hits in seven innings. Starting with the go-ahead sacrifice fly, Bahl retired 14 of the last 15 she faced, but just could not get the run to re-tie the game.
The Huskers and Lady Vols will meet in game three of the Super Regional Sunday in Knoxville. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m., with pregame coverage at 12:45 p.m. on 105.3 the Bone.