KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Number three-seeded Tennessee softball topped Virginia in the Regional Finals of the NCAA Tournament inside Sherri Parker Lee Stadium on Sunday. The 6-0 win advances the Lady Vols to the Super Regionals, where they'll face the Crimson Tide in Knoxville.
In the first inning, Rylie West singled to left field to score two and put Tennessee on the board first, 2-0. The Cavalier’s first three batters grounded out and couldn’t snatch a run in the opening inning.
With two on and one out in the third inning, Zaida Puni knocked a single through the left side to score Kiki Milloy, and just two pitches later, West doubled deep to left center field to plate two more. The Lady Vols were up 5-0.
In the bottom of the third, Karlyn Pickens struck out two Cavs before Taylor Pannell made a fantastic diving catch in the right to close out the inning. Virginia remained hitless and scoreless going into the fourth inning.
West continued to have herself a day. In the fifth inning, she knocked out a solo home run to extend Tennessee’s lead, to 6-0. At that point, she went 3-3 from the plate on the day.
Virginia finally got a hit and had a Cav on second in the fifth, but Pickens ended the inning with her 6th strikeout before anyone could advance.
Tennessee had no runs scored in the sixth or seventh, and Virginia had one more inning to avoid a shutout. However, the Lady Vols closed it out with some more impressive defense led by Pickens.
Pickens finished with another shutout against the Cavs, pitching all seven innings, striking out seven and only allowing two hits and two walks.
Next up, Tennessee will face Alabama in the Super Regionals of the NCAA Tournament. The best of three series will be held either Thursday or Friday in Sherri Parker Lee Stadium. The Super Regional appearance will be the 13th in Tennessee program history.
