KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The No. 1-ranked Lady Vols polished off a 5-0 weekend on Sunday with a 6-2 victory over Appalachian State at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium on the final day of the Tennessee Invitational.
Tennessee improved to 19-0 with the win, using a midgame surge and a dominant outing in the circle from Karlyn Pickens (6-0).
The Mountaineers (13-5) struck quickly in the first inning. After a hit batter began the game, Makayla McClain homered off the scoreboard in left-center to give App State a 2-0 lead.
Tennessee answered with a three-run third inning. Sophia Knight singled and moved into scoring position before Gabby Leach followed with a base hit and a stolen base. Ella Dodge lifted a sacrifice fly to center to plate the Lady Vols’ first run, and Elsa Morrison added a sacrifice fly to right to tie the game. Taelyn Holley then tripled to left and scored on a single by Alannah Leach to give Tennessee a 3-2 advantage.
The Lady Vols added insurance in the sixth as Mackenzie Butt doubled down the left-field line and Knight drew a walk to set the table for Dodge, who blasted a three-run home run to center field to extend the lead to 6-2. Dodge finished with four RBIs in the game and totaled 11 over five games during the weekend.
Pickens earned the win with a complete-game performance, tying her career high with 15 strikeouts. After allowing the two-run homer in the first, she held Appalachian State to one hit the rest of the way and did not allow a run over the final six innings.
The righty retired the side in order in the third and fourth frames and struck out 11 of the final 17 batters she faced.
Tennessee recorded nine hits in the win, with Knight and Leach collecting two apiece.
Appalachian State is the first team to score more than one run on the Lady Vols this season.
DUE UP
Tennessee welcomes in-state foe Belmont to Sherri Parker Lee Stadium on Tuesday, March 3. First pitch against the Bruins is set for 5 p.m. ET.
