Tennessee softball avoided the series sweep Sunday afternoon at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium, riding a walk-off walk to a 4-3 win over Ole Miss to snap a four-game SEC losing streak.
Erin Nuwer got the start in the circle and was sharp through four innings. She surrendered a walk to her first batter of the afternoon before retiring Ole Miss in order in the second and third. She gave up just three hits on Sunday afternoon before being relieved by Karlyn Pickens in the fifth, who closed out the game.
Tennessee’s offense threatened early but couldn’t capitalize. Alannah Leach and Emma Clarke both reached in the first, but Ole Miss pitcher Emilee Boyer ended it with a clean snag on a comebacker. In the second, Makenzie Butt walked and Taelyn Holley reached on a fielding error, but back-to-back fielder’s choices left them stranded.
Then Tennessee’s break came in the third.
Clarke doubled to right, sending Leach to third. After Gabby Leach flied out, Butt drew a walk to load the bases. Elsa Morrison stepped up and ripped a two-out double down the left-field line, clearing the bases and putting Tennessee in front 3-0.
“I loved Elsa’s at-bats today,” head coach Karen Weekly said. “I thought she was swinging at the right things. I really loved her last at-bat. She didn’t get the base hit, but she hung in there, she was fighting, taking what she should take, swinging at what she should. Her approach was consistent, regardless of results.”
Ole Miss answered in the sixth. After Pickens easily handled the Rebels in the fifth, Madi George launched a three-run shot into center field to tie the game at three.
“I just told them after that three-run home run, nobody’s going to feel sorry for you,” Weekly said. “So don’t feel sorry for yourself just because times have been tough. We’re going to keep demanding that you do your job and do it right, and we’ll figure it out.”
Pickens regrouped and struck out the last two batters to end the threat, giving Tennessee another opportunity to get back in front. The Rebels had a solid inning defensively, stranding Tennessee’s lone base runner after an error.
Pickens returned to her All-American form in the seventh. She struck out the side in 13 pitches, a much-needed boost for the Lady Vols’ confidence. Alannah Leach started the bottom of the seventh with a double, the only hit of the inning.
The next three Lady Vols were walked by Kyra Aycock, including Saviya Morgan, to bring in the game-winning run.
“Savaya’s a competitor,” Weekly said. “She played a lot last year and hasn’t played as much this year, and that is the same kid in the dugout, the same kid at practice – working, working, working. And when she had her opportunity today, she was prepared. She just does her job.”
Despite having already lost the series, the win comes at a crucial point for the Lady Vols. Heading into Sunday’s matchup, they’d lost their last four SEC games.
“You can kind of get into a false sense of security that you’ll always be able to figure it out,” Weekly said about going from No. 1 to a slump. “We went from one extreme to the other, and we’ve learned a lot about how to manage our emotions, how to manage outcomes and expectations and finding that place in the middle where we just stay centered.”
With the win, Tennessee improves to 30-5 overall and 7-5 in SEC play. The Lady Vols return to action later this week, hosting South Carolina. The series will begin April 2 at 6 p.m ET.
