Tennessee softball is on to the Knoxville Regional Finals. The Lady Vols defeated Virginia 7-5 on Saturday afternoon to secure their spot for Sunday with a loss to play with.
Here’s what happened in Tennessee’s second-straight win to open the NCAA tournament.
Tennessee Produces Five Runs in the First
The offense stalled for much of Tennessee’s opening game against Northern Kentucky yesterday. The Lady Vols used a pair of solo shots and an RBI double to put up the runs it needed to survive.
Tennessee made sure that didn’t happen on Saturday afternoon. After Sage Mardjetko sat down UVA’s lineup in order, Sophia Knight opened the bottom of the first by reaching on a throwing error that arguably could’ve gone down as an infield single. After an Alannah Leach single put two on base, Elsa Morrison, the freshman catcher, stayed hot and drilled a two-RBI double to right-center.
The Lady Vols didn’t stop there, either. Following an out, a walk and a hit by pitch, UT loaded up the bases with one down. Makenzie Butt dropped a single into right field, Taelyn Holley drew a walk and Bella Faw grounded into a double-play, each scoring a run.
This gave Tennessee a 5-0 advantage after just one inning of play, with one of the top pitching staffs in the country ready to go.
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Virginia Fires Back in the Third, Lady Vols Respond
Through two innings, Sage Mardjetko was perfect. However, things started to slip away from her in the third. To start the inning, she hit Kassidy Hudson with a pitch to allow her first runner of the game.
Mardjetko responded by striking out Madison Greene, but UVA’s nine-hole hitter, Jaiden Griffith, singled to right to put two on base. Following a strikeout of the Hoos’ leadoff hitter, Jade Hylton, Mardjetko made her biggest mistake of the game. She allowed a three-run shot off the bat of Macee Eaton.
With the lead down to just two, UT got a quick response, though. Emma Clarke, who homered early against Northern Kentucky on Friday, launched a pitch off the scoreboard in left to get a run back to lead off the bottom of the inning. This left the game at 6-3 in favor of the Lady Vols after three frames.
Karlyn Pickens Gives Up a Shot, But Finishes Off the Hoos
Sage Mardjetko went four innings before exiting. During her appearance, she gave up three earned runs on three hits, no walks and six strikeouts.
To replace Mardjetko in the circle, Tennessee called on the flamethrowing Karlyn Pickens. However, it wasn’t her strongest outing. In the top of the sixth inning, Pickens gave up a two-out walk to Hannah Weismer. The next batter, Alex Call, made her pay. She lifted a two-run homer to center field to cut the lead to just one.
Tennessee did get an insurance run back in the sixth, though. Makenzie Butt hammered a home run to left to make it a 7-5 game entering the seventh. To close it out, Pickens returned to the circle. She sat down the three batters she faced in order to earn the save and secure Mardjetko’s win.
Pickens’ final line was three innings pitched, two earned runs, two allowed hits, one walk and four strikeouts.
Final Stats
Up Next
Tennessee now turns the page to the regional finals. After winning both its games to this point, the Lady Vols will have two chances on Sunday to win one game and advance to the Knoxville Super Regional.
UT’s opponent is uncertain and could still be any of the other three teams in the regional. This evening, Indiana and Northern Kentucky will meet in an elimination game. Afterward, the winner of that game will play Virginia in another elimination match to decide who will play the Lady Vols on Sunday.
The first game on Sunday is set for 2 p.m. ET with a TV designation yet to be determined. If Tennessee loses that first game, the following matchup is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET, with the winner of that match advancing.
