Lady Vols Finish Off LSU Tigers (UT Athletics)
The fourth-ranked Lady Vols used a three-run sixth inning to take the rubber match and the series victory against No. 7 LSU at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium on Sunday.
Tennessee (34-8, 14-4 SEC) has won seven consecutive conference series dating to its final series of the 2023 season against South Carolina. It has also won 14 of its last 15 league series dating to the final SEC weekend of the 2022 campaign.
Sophomore Karlyn Pickens produced another incredible outing in the circle, throwing six shutout innings en route to her 16th win of the season.
The right-hander fanned seven and walked four in the outing, while scattering four hits on the day.
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Payton Gottshall entered the circle to close out the contest, picking up her second save of the year with a flawless seventh inning.
LSU (35-10, 11-10 SEC) had the first opportunity to break through, threatening with runners on second and third with one out in the second inning, but Pickens delivered a strikeout before inducing a groundout to end the frame.
After collecting just three hits in the first five innings of action, the Tennessee bats came alive in the sixth, sparked by a
Rylie West double off the center-field wall with one out in the inning. A walk and hit-by-pitch loaded the bases, setting the stage for senior
Giulia Koutsoyanopulos, who hammered a two-out, full-count pitch off the right-field wall for a two-run double.
Koutsoyanopulos finished the game 2-for-3 at the plate.
Freshman
Gabby Leach followed up Koutsoyanopulos' two-RBI double with an RBI single up the middle for the third run of the inning, proving to be more than enough run support for Gottshall in the seventh.
Sydney Berzon pitched all six innings for the Tigers, allowing three runs on six hits. McKenzie Redoutey had two of LSU's four hits, including a double in the third.
STAT OF THE DAY
The Lady Vols held No. 7 LSU to just one run over the weekend as
Payton Gottshall and
Karlyn Pickens owned the circle for 21 innings. The pitching duo combined for 17 strikeouts, four walks, allowed just two extra-base hits and held the Tigers to a .127 batting average.
UP NEXT:
The Lady Vols are back in action this Tuesday, April 23, taking on Belmont at 6:00 p.m. ET at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.