OKLAHOMA CITY – Tennessee softball is going back to the Women’s College World Series semifinals after its pitching stifled a lethal Texas Tech offense in extra innings.
Senior ace Karlyn Pickens nearly shut out the Red Raiders before a challenge in the top of the seventh inning overturned what would have been the game-winning out at home plate. Taylor Pannell, who played for the Lady Vols last season and transferred to Texas Tech, scored to tie the game and send it to extra innings at Devon Park on May 30.
Junior Sage Mardjetko entered the game for the final out of the seventh, and Alannah Leach made a stunning diving catch in left field to get Tennessee out of a jam. Mardjetko held Texas Tech hitless until Emma Clarke walked it off with a leadoff solo home run in the ninth inning.
Pickens and Mardjetko shut down a Texas Tech offense that has scored 70 runs seven games in the NCAA Tournament, holding the No. 11 seed Red Raiders to five hits as they led the No. 7 seed Lady Vols to a 2-1 win.
Tennessee (49-10) has advanced to the WCWS semifinals without falling into the losers bracket for the first time since 2013, which was the last time it played in the WCWS finals. It’s the Lady Vols’ third WCWS semifinals appearance in the last four seasons.
Pickens threw six strikeouts with three walks and one earned run in 6⅔ innings. She threw 108 total pitches, which included 61 strikes. Mardjetko (16-2) had two strikeouts with two walks in 2⅓ innings.
Tennessee defense makes incredible plays to back up pitching
Third baseman Ella Dodge and Clarke, the second baseman, both made incredible plays for the first two outs of the fourth inning.
Dodge attacked a grounder from Mihyi Davis and scooped it up near the pitcher’s circle, making the throw to barely beat Davis to first. Then Clarke fielded a high chopper by Jackie Lis perfectly and her throw beat Lis to first by inches.
Neither Dodge or Clarke started the entire regular season at those positions. Clarke was at first base and Dodge was at second, but coach Karen Weekly shifted the infield going into the regional to get first baseman Makenzie Butt’s bat in the lineup.
The Lady Vols’ defense in the NCAA Tournament is the sharpest it has been all the season, and the change paid off against Texas Tech.
Sophia Knight also made a game-winning play in the sixth inning with a throw from center field to catcher Elsa Morrison, beating the runner to keep the Red Raiders scoreless.
Taelyn Holley continues strong WCWS debut
Tennessee got seven runners on base through the first four innings with three hits and two hit batters, but it couldn’t capitalize early.
The Lady Vols even had the bases loaded in the third inning with two outs, but Clarke popped up to first base. Texas Tech made a pitching change with two runners on base, pulling starter Kaitlyn Terry for NiJaree Canady.
But freshman outfielder Taelyn Holley came through for the Lady Vols, hitting a leadoff solo home run to left field in the fifth inning for a 1-0 lead. She went 1-for-2 with a sacrifice bunt.
Holley was excellent in her WCWS debut, too, going 1-for-2 with a walk and two runs scored in the 6-3 win over Texas on May 28.
Cora Hall is the University of Tennessee women’s athletics reporter for Knox News. Email: cora.hall@knoxnews.com; X: @corahalll; Bluesky: @corahall.bsky.social. Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks:knoxnews.com/subscribe
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Emma Clarke hits walk-off homer to send Tennessee softball to WCWS semifinals
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