It was top of the seventh, and Tennessee needed two more outs to end the inning, desperately holding onto a 3-1 lead over the Georgia Bulldogs. Vols pitcher Karlyn Pickens started out the inning hot with a strikeout swinging, but things started to get tough. A double down the third base line that Tennessee didn't realize was fair gave Georgia a runner at second and the tying run up at the plate.
A single to shortstop with the speeding Jaydyn Goodwin running gave Georgia runners on first and third with only one out, and the winning run now coming up to the plate. Tennessee fans sat anxiously in their seats and had to be thinking Pickens could get them out of it.
The No. 1 overall pick in the AUSL Draft had gotten them out of worse before. Tension got even higher as Picks hit Sarah Gordon to load the bases. That brought head coach Karen Weekly out to the mound for a visit to calm her team down.
Karlyn Pickens never backed down from Georgia in the seventh inning
With only one out and the bases loaded, there was this feeling like things were about to go wrong. Everyone had that feeling, except for Pickens, who looked completely unfazed. After hitting Gordon, some may have wondered if Weekly would pull her star, but instead, Weekly calmed her team down and trusted her ace.
Pickens got back to work fast as she struck out the next two hitters on five pitches, shutting the door on Georgia's bases-loaded threat to end the game. Pickens ended the game with a nasty rise ball that had Georgia hitters off their game all night. With 122 pitches, Pickens had her 10th complete game of the season, along with only seven hits, one earned run, three walks, and 10 strikeouts.
The seventh inning was not the only inning of brilliance for the No. 1 draft pick. Pickens also found herself in a bit of trouble in the sixth inning with runners on first and second and two outs.
Pickens threw an absolutely filthy change-up that had her celebrating before the umpire even made the call of strike three.
you know how disgusting a pitch has to be that you know it’s a strikeout before it reaches the catcher’s mitt? pic.twitter.com/e87rHcVLnj
— John Sartori (@JohnSartoriTV) May 22, 2026
Some may say it is disrespectful or even shade thrown by Pickens for celebrating early, but that kind of change-up is not easily thrown. Pickens had the hitter completely on her heels, leaving her bat on her shoulder.
Tennessee has started off Super Regionals the way every team wants to, and that is with a win. it was ahrd and Georgia at times didn't make things easy, but a few clutch hoome runs and another masterful perfroamcne rom Pickens, who is now 15-7 on the season and chasing an 8- miles per hour pitch, helps the Vols achieve that first win.
Tennessee and Georgia will be back on the field today for Game 2 of the best-of-three series. The Vols could be the first team in the Super Regionals to punch their ticket to the Women's College World Series with a win.
Don't be surprised if you see Pickens on the mound yet again against Georgia, giving another masterful performance to get her team back to the big series.
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