STARKVILLE, Miss. – Tennessee ace Karlyn Pickens returned to the circle and helped deliver a series victory for No. 1 Tennessee as she tossed a one-hit complete game against No. 12 Mississippi State in a 4-1 win at Nusz Park.
Tennessee (27-1, 5-1 SEC) earned its ninth straight SEC series victory on the road and took its 23rd series win in its last 26 tries.
The story of the day was Pickens returning to the circle after an 11-day layoff with arm strain. The senior picked up right where she left off, striking out the first batter she faced en route to a six-strikeout performance.
The Weaverville, North Carolina, native allowed one run on one hit with four walks as she earned her seventh win of the season. She also notched her 700th career strikeout in the game’s second inning.
Tennessee and Mississippi State traded runs in the third. For the Lady Vols, freshman Taelyn Holley led off with a double down the left field line, before moving to third on a Bella Faw sacrifice bunt.
A wild pitch brought Holley home for the game’s first run.
The Bulldogs (27-4, 1-2 SEC) responded quickly with a solo home run from Gabby Schaeffer. They continued to threaten in the half inning, getting a pair of runners on, but Pickens was able to work around the traffic to keep the game tied at 1-1.
Emma Clarke came up with a big hit in the fourth as she clubbed her fifth home run of the season deep over the wall in left-center field. The blast broke the tie and put Tennessee ahead 2-1.
Tennessee got a little insurance in the top of the seventh from Ella Dodge as the redshirt sophomore roped a two-out, two-RBI single into center field. Alannah Leach and Zoie Shuler scored on the play, giving UT a 4-1 lead.
Pickens then shut the door with a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh, including a game-ending strikeout – her sixth of the day.
Leila Ammon started for MSU in the circle, tossing three innings and giving up one run on one hit with two walks and four strikeouts. Peja Goold took over in relief and threw three innings. She allowed three runs on two hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Goold suffered the loss and is 11-2 on the year.
Alyssa Faircloth threw one frame and gave up one hit with one walk and two strikeouts.
DUE UP
Tennessee will return to Knoxville for a few days before heading back out on the road for a three-game series against the Florida Gators in Gainesville, March 20-22.
