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Karlyn Pickens fastball busts Nebraska bat in half during Knoxville Super Regional

Barkley-Truaxby: Barkley Truax05/25/25BarkleyTruax
Syndication: The Knoxville News-Sentinel
Tennessee pitcher Karlyn Pickens (23) during an NCAA super regional game between Tennessee and Alabama at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, TN, Saturday, May 25, 2024. Alabama defeated Tennessee 3-2 in the 14th inning.

Have you ever seen a broken softball bat? Just ask Karlyn Pickens fastball.

One day after breaking her own record for the fastest softball pitch ever recorded (79.4 mph), the Tennessee pitcher once again showcased her incredible stuff on the mound. Facing a full count, Pickens blasted her pitch toward Nebraska batter Samantha Bland — which proceeded to bust Bland’s bat in her hands.

The incredible moment was captured in the top of the sixth inning as the Volunteeres led the Cornhuskers 1-0. Watch the bat break below:

Tennessee would go on to defeat Nebraska by the same score, sending the Volunteers to the Women’s College World Series for the second time in three years, and ninth time in program history. The program will now seek its first national title in history, as they’re 0-2 all-time in the championship series.

Pickens would finish the complete game shutout with the 10 strikeouts, not to mention allowing just two hits on the afternoon. She finished the game with 99 pitches — 65 of which landed in the strike zone. Pickens explained the source of her motivation during the performance.

“I was just relying on my teammates, knowing that this team is not done,” Pickens told ESPN’s Holly Rowe on the field after the victory. “We’ve got a lot more to accomplish this year. So, I’d do anything to spend one more day with them.”

While Pickens recorded 10 outs by herself, she was forced to reply on the rest of the Tennessee defense when the Nebraska bats put the ball into play. She praised her team’s abilities across the diamond for the efforts during the Super Regional.

“It just makes you play free, like knowing these girls are giving their all. I’m going to do the same,” Pickens continued. “So, it’s a blessing to play with this team. … It’s surreal. I know it’s something we’ve all dreamed of, something we’ve been talking about since day one. So just to see all that happen, It’s really special.”

For Nebraska, the Huskers end their season in a tough series during the Knoxville Super Regional. They pitched All-American Jordy Bahl, who finished the game allowing one earned run across four hits.

Tennessee now joins the Oklahoma Sooners, Texas Tech Red Raiders, Texas Longhorns and Oregon Ducks as the fifth team to make the final field of eight ahead of the 2025 Women’s College World Series. The rest of the field will be decided by the end of Sunday.