KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The eighth-ranked Lady Vols clinched the rubber match and secured a conference series victory over No. 3 Alabama with a 4-1 win Monday night at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.
Tennessee (40-8, 14-7 SEC) rebounded from dropping Saturday’s opener to win Games 2 and 3 and take the series. The victory marked the 23rd time the program has reached 40 wins under head coach Karen Weekly. UT is the first team to defeat Alabama in back-to-back games this season and handed the Crimson Tide their first SEC series loss of the year.
Sophomore Erin Nuwer made the start in the circle, tossing two scoreless innings while allowing one hit and two walks. She was relieved to start the third by senior Karlyn Pickens.
Pickens was dominant, striking out 11 and allowing just one run on three hits over five innings to earn the win and improve to 12-5 on the season.
Tennessee broke through and took command of the game with a three-run fourth inning. After Ella Dodge reached on a fielding error, Emma Clarke doubled to score Dodge. Freshman Taelyn Holley followed with a single to move Clarke to third, with Clarke scoring on a misplay in left field. Alannah Leach capped the fourth-inning outburst with a sacrifice fly to center.
Holley added to the lead in the fifth, lacing a single to left field to score Bella Faw and give UT a 4-0 advantage.
Clarke and Holley were the offensive spark plugs Monday night as they both went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Alabama (44-6, 14-7 SEC) mounted a late push with a leadoff home run in the seventh. A hit-by-pitch and wild pitch put another runner in scoring position, but Pickens responded by striking out the side to seal the win and the series.
Jocelyn Briski started for the Crimson Tide, allowing four runs on four hits with two walks and six strikeouts over five innings to take the loss and fall to 19-2. Kaitlyn Pallozzi pitched a scoreless sixth-inning in relief.
DUE UP
Tennessee will wrap up the 2026 regular season on the road at Missouri. The three-game set against the Tigers is set for Thursday-Saturday, April 30-May 2.
