Tennessee softball legendary pitcher Karlyn Pickens is slated to get her first career professional start on Wednesday. As the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 AUSL Draft to the Carolina Blaze, Pickens will get the ball for the team’s second game of the season.
The matchup against the Portland Cascade in Durham, North Carolina, is set for 8 p.m. ET. It will air on ESPN2.
There are other notable former Lady Vols that are rostered for the game, as well. Pickens is teamed up with Aubrey Leach, who hit lead-off for the Blaze in the 4-1 opening day win on Tuesday. She went 1-for-4 at the plate with two RBI.
On the other side, a former teammate of Pickens, Payton Gottshall, pitched an inning in relief for the Cascade and did not allow a run.
don’t blink, you might miss it 👀❤️🔥 pic.twitter.com/oXRlmpv6CX
— carolina blaze | ausl (@AUSL_Blaze) June 8, 2026
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Pickens’ resume is absolutely stacked as she finishes her college tenure and turns the page to being a pro. Along with being the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s AUSL draft, here’s what she leaves campus with:
- 3x First Team All-American (2024, 2025, 2026)
- 2x SEC Pitcher of the Year (2024, 2025)
- 3x All-SEC First Team (2024, 2025, 2026)
- 1x All-SEC Second Team (2023)
- 1x SEC Freshman of the Year (2023)
- 3x WCWS Participant (2023, 2025, 2026)
- 4x NCAA Tournament Super Regional Participant (2023, 2024, 2025, 2026)
- 2x SEC Regular Season Champion (2023, 2024)
- 1x SEC Tournament Champion (2023)
“My four years here have been nothing but just amazing,” Pickens said after her final game at UT in the WCWS. “I’ve enjoyed my experience so much. I’ve been a part of four amazing groups of girls, and I think that’s kind of the hardest part of walking away from it is just the bonds we have with this team and teams of the past and stuff like that. I’m thankful to have been able to be a part of this program, to be able to put on this uniform and fight for the Lady Vols and my team.”
