The Tennessee Lady Volunteers are moving on in the NCAA Softball National Championship Tournament. Karen Weekly’s squad won the Knoxville region going 3-0 with two wins against Ohio State and a win over Miami (Ohio).
Sunday’s win to book UT’s ticket to the Super Region was a 5-0 shut out over the Buckeyes of Ohio State, who was being touted as the best offensive team in the country. After going scoreless in 6 innings Tennessee’s catcher Sofia Nugent blasted a two run home run to give the Lady Vols a 2-0 lead. UT’s candidate for National Player of the Year Pitcher Karlyn Pickens would be brought in for the last two innings to close out the game. Pickens struck out 5 of the 6 batters she faced.
The Lady Vols will now host the Super Regional in Knoxville at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium. Tennessee will take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers who won the Baton Rouge Region. Tennessee squares off against Nebraska in the Best-of-3 Super Regional Series to see who will head to Oklahoma City for the Women’s College World Series.