No. 7 Tennessee bests Nebraska 3-2, evens Knoxville Super Regional
No. 7 Tennessee (44-15, 15-9 SEC) and ace pitcher Karlyn Pickens evened the Knoxville Super Regional by defeating Nebraska softball 3-2 on Saturday. Nebraska and the Lady Vols battle on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT on ESPN or ESPN2. The winner advances to the 2025 Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City, Okla.
The Huskers (43-14, 17-5 Big Ten) won game one 5-2 on Friday. The Lady Vols committed two errors in the fourth inning to help the Huskers go up 5-1.
Husker pitcher Jordy Bahl allowed four hits and three runs in seven innings. After throwing a complete game on Friday, Bahl struck out six batters and walked two and threw 97 pitches. Hannah Camenzind led the Huskers with two RBI off one hit.
Tennessee ace Karlyn Pickens gave up five hits, two runs and struck out 11. She threw a 79.4 mph pitch in the first inning to set the fastest recorded pitch in NCAA history.
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Tennessee, Pickens get edge in game two
Tennessee was determined to flip the script after losing game one. Ella Dodge hit a home run down the right field line to go up 2-0 in the top of the first. Bahl hit Gabby Leach, the lead-off hitter, and walked McKenna Gibson for two free bases in the first.
But the Huskers did not shy away. Bahl and Sammie Bland hit back-to-back singles. Ava Kuszak‘s fly ball moved the runners to second and third. H. Camenzind hit a single up the middle for two RBIs.
Pickens settled in wonderfully after giving up three hits and two runs in the first. She struck out six out of nine batters in the first three innings.
Nebraska softball wins game one 5-2 vs. No. 7 Tennessee in Knoxville Super Regional
Tennessee took a 3-2 lead in the top of the third. Bahl walked Leach, the lead-off hitter, and gave up a single to Nugent. Gibson’s sacrifice fly ball helped Leach get home.
The Huskers struggled to get a reach with Pickens heating up. They didn’t get another hit off of Pickens until the seventh inning when Bacon hit a single.
Both Nebraska and Tennessee’s defenses were clean and made some great plays on Saturday. The difference on Friday was two errors from the Lady Vols. Each team wanted their opponent to earn the win, not be given it.
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Bland made a great stop and threw from her knees to gun out Gibson at first from third base in the sixth. In the second, Kuszak grabbed Alannah Leach‘s hit, stepped on second and threw out Leach at first for a double play.
The Huskers had a chance to in the bottom of the seventh. Bacon hit a single, the Huskers’ first hit in five innings. Emmerson Cope, a pinch hitter, sent a two-out single to right field to move Kennadi Williams, Bacon’s pinch runner, to third. Lauren Camenzind, Cope’s pinch runner, stole second. But Ava Bredwell flied out with two runners in scoring position to end the game.
Pickens gives Huskers her best
After being retired in the fourth inning on Friday, Pickens showed the Huskers what she can do. The junior struck out 11 batters. After allowing three hits and two runs in the first inning, Pickens didn’t allow a hit in the next five innings and didn’t give up another run.
Pickens is the hardest thrower in NCAA softball. She broke her own record for the fastest pitch with a 79.4 mph throw.
The 6-foot-1 pitcher allowed four hits and five runs in game one. On Saturday, she allowed five hits and two runs in seven innings and 120 pitches.
Sunday’s pitcher matchup is unknown as Bahl has thrown 14 innings and Pickens has pitched nearly 11 innings in two games.
