After an impressive victory over Alabama on Thursday, Tennessee was rewarded with the daunting task of facing arguably the great college softball team ever assembled in the Oklahoma Sooners. To put it simply, it did not go well.
In a shocking decision to many, Tennessee appeared to punt this game from the start, opting to throw a stable of freshman instead of one of their two aces in Ashley Rogers or Payton Gottshall — a move that immediately came back to bite them and one that Karen Weekly took “full responsibility for.” SEC Freshman of the Year Karlyn Pickens got the start in the circle, and while she showed flashes, continued to struggle with her command, walking three (albeit one was from a horrific call from behind the plate) and allowing three runs in 1 and 2⁄3 innings of work.