KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Sophomore Karlyn Pickens pitched a gem against Dayton in Tennessee's opening game of the 2024 Knoxville Regional, shutting out the Flyers 3-0 at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.
Tennessee (41-10) won its 52nd regional game in program history as Pickens earned her 20th victory of the season.
The right-hander tossed her 14th complete game and picked up an 11th shutout as she held Dayton to two hits.
Pickens was efficient as she tallied 12 strikeouts on 76 pitches over seven innings of work.
When the Flyers did manage to put the ball in play, UT's defense – highlighted by
Laura Mealer with multiple spectacular plays in the field – picked up its pitcher to keep Dayton off the scoreboard.
Destiny Rodriguez drove in a pair of runs in the second inning to spark the offense to a 2-0 lead.
Sophia Nugent added a little insurance in the fifth as she knocked a single through the left side of the infield to tack on Tennessee's third run of the game.
With its three-run win, Tennessee improves to 37-0 this season when it scores three-plus in a game.
Dayton (33-20) started Haven Dwyer in the circle on Friday afternoon. Dwyer tossed 3.2 frames before giving way to Izzy Kemp in the fourth. Dwyer finished the outing surrendering two runs – one earned – on two hits with five walks and three strikeouts.
Kemp went two innings, allowing one run on two hits with one walk and a strikeout. Sarah Bailitz relieved her with two outs in the sixth and struck out the only batter she faced.
Tennessee had four hits off Dayton's pitching staff from
Taylor Pannell,
McKenna Gibson, Nugent and Rodriguez.
Nico Papavasiliou and Kaelene Walter collected the Flyers' two hits on the day.
UP NEXT
Tennessee is back in action on Saturday as it faces Virginia in the winner's bracket game at 1 p.m. ET. The winner of game three will advance to Sunday's game six, while the loser will have to play in game five on Saturday night at approximately 6 p.m.