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OKLAHOMA CITY – Tennessee softball didn't throw Karlyn Pickens in the first game against Texas in the Women's College World Series semifinal, and now she'll be fresh for the winner-take-all game against the Longhorns.
The No. 7 seed Lady Vols (49-11) lost 5-2 in the first semifinal matchup, unable to get to Texas pitcher Citlaly Gutierrez. Texas was also able to save its junior ace Teagan Kavan until the last out of the seventh inning when Tennessee loaded the bases.
Kavan struck out Elsa Morrison looking to end the game.
Tennessee will face the Longhorns in Game 2 of the semifinals at Devon Park at 3:17 ET on June 1 on ESPN. The winner advances to the best-of-three WCWS finals that begins June 3 (8 p.m., ESPN).
Tennessee started sophomore pitcher Erin Nuwer in the first semifinal matchup. Nuwer hadn't pitched against the Longhorns in the WCWS opener, which Tennessee won 6-3.
Junior pitcher Sage Mardjetko started that game and held Texas to one hit through the first four innings before Pickens pitched the final three innings. Pickens had two strikeouts, four hits allowed and two earned runs in her seventh save of the season.
Nuwer went through the lineup once before being relieved by Mardjetko, which is the same thing Tennessee did in Game 2 against Georgia in the super regionals. Mardjetko tossed a gem to send the Lady Vols back to the WCWS.
But things took a turn for the worst for Mardjetko, who gave up a solo home run in the fourth and three more in the fifth, giving the Longhorns a 4-1 lead. With a sizable lead, Tennessee elected to send Nuwer back into the game in the fifth instead of going to Pickens.
Nuwer gave up one more run in the seventh inning. She ended the game with one strikeout, no walks, seven hits allowed and one earned run in 4⅔ innings. Mardjetko had three strikeouts, two walks, six hits allowed and four earned runs.
The 13 hits allowed was the most Tennessee's pitching staff has given up in a game all season. The previous high was nine hits allowed in a 12-0 run-rule loss to Alabama on April 25. They've only given up more than seven hits in a game twice this season before the loss – the other was eight hits in a 4-3 loss to Missouri on May 2.
Texas scored off solo home runs from Reese Atwood and Katie Stewart, a two-RBI single from Hannah Wells and off a groundout that scored Wells from third base in the seventh inning.
Cora Hall is the University of Tennessee women’s athletics reporter for Knox News. Email: [email protected]; X: @corahalll; Bluesky: @corahall.bsky.social. Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks:knoxnews.com/subscribe
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee has fresh Karlyn Pickens for Texas in Game 2 of WCWS semifinal
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The No. 7 seed Lady Vols (49-11) lost 5-2 in the first semifinal matchup, unable to get to Texas pitcher Citlaly Gutierrez. Texas was also able to save its junior ace Teagan Kavan until the last out of the seventh inning when Tennessee loaded the bases.
Kavan struck out Elsa Morrison looking to end the game.
Tennessee will face the Longhorns in Game 2 of the semifinals at Devon Park at 3:17 ET on June 1 on ESPN. The winner advances to the best-of-three WCWS finals that begins June 3 (8 p.m., ESPN).
Tennessee started sophomore pitcher Erin Nuwer in the first semifinal matchup. Nuwer hadn't pitched against the Longhorns in the WCWS opener, which Tennessee won 6-3.
Junior pitcher Sage Mardjetko started that game and held Texas to one hit through the first four innings before Pickens pitched the final three innings. Pickens had two strikeouts, four hits allowed and two earned runs in her seventh save of the season.
Nuwer went through the lineup once before being relieved by Mardjetko, which is the same thing Tennessee did in Game 2 against Georgia in the super regionals. Mardjetko tossed a gem to send the Lady Vols back to the WCWS.
But things took a turn for the worst for Mardjetko, who gave up a solo home run in the fourth and three more in the fifth, giving the Longhorns a 4-1 lead. With a sizable lead, Tennessee elected to send Nuwer back into the game in the fifth instead of going to Pickens.
Nuwer gave up one more run in the seventh inning. She ended the game with one strikeout, no walks, seven hits allowed and one earned run in 4⅔ innings. Mardjetko had three strikeouts, two walks, six hits allowed and four earned runs.
The 13 hits allowed was the most Tennessee's pitching staff has given up in a game all season. The previous high was nine hits allowed in a 12-0 run-rule loss to Alabama on April 25. They've only given up more than seven hits in a game twice this season before the loss – the other was eight hits in a 4-3 loss to Missouri on May 2.
Texas scored off solo home runs from Reese Atwood and Katie Stewart, a two-RBI single from Hannah Wells and off a groundout that scored Wells from third base in the seventh inning.
Cora Hall is the University of Tennessee women’s athletics reporter for Knox News. Email: [email protected]; X: @corahalll; Bluesky: @corahall.bsky.social. Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks:knoxnews.com/subscribe
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee has fresh Karlyn Pickens for Texas in Game 2 of WCWS semifinal
Continue reading...
