Less than 48 hours after a scathing defeat, Tennessee had a message for Alabama — and a lit cigar to go along with it.

The Lady Vols came to life on Monday night, slamming the door on the Crimson Tide 4-1 at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium. Tennessee (40-8, 14-7 SEC) bounced back after a 12-0 loss in the series opener, outscoring Alabama (44-6, 16-5) 6-1 in the final two games of the series. 

Karlyn Pickens was electric for the No. 8 Lady Vols, striking out 11 after allowing five runs on Saturday night. 

“Any time I can get the opportunity to flush something like that and just go back out there and do what I know how to do, it’s super exciting,” Pickens said. “I was ready to get the ball and ready to show really everybody what I could do.”

Despite the impressive outing from the senior, it was Erin Nuwer getting the start in the circle for Tennessee. She struggled early, 10 of her first 16 pitches missing the strike zone while she walked two batters. A double-play helped her escape the first inning.

The Lady Vols’ bats stayed silent early, going down in order in the bottom half as Ella Dodge and Emma Clarke struck out before Taelyn Holley grounded out. 

No. 2 Alabama had a chance to strike in the second inning. A hit and a passed ball put a runner on second before a groundout pushed her to third. Nuwer hit the next batter to put runners on the corners with two outs, but Bella Faw fielded a grounder at short and fired to first to end the inning.

The second inning brought more of the same for Tennessee. All three batters went down in succession, leaving the Lady Vols hitless through two.

Pickens entered in the third, and the tone shifted immediately. She struck out her first batter, gave up a single and punched out another before Faw fielded a grounder to end the frame. 

Tennessee’s struggles continued at the plate, but its defense stayed stout behind its senior.

The Lady Vols found the scoreboard in the fourth. 

After two more strikeouts from Pickens, Dodge reached on a fielding error after Alabama’s shortstop and left fielder collided in foul territory. Clarke drove her home during the next at-bat with a double through the left side for the game’s first run. Holley singled Clarke home next, reaching on a throwing error by the left fielder. 

“Karen (Weekly) called the bunt sign, and I didn’t do my job,” Clarke said. “I got down with two strikes very quickly, but Karen called time and talked to me, just basically told me, ‘so what? Just trust your eyes.’ 

“I really focused on my eyes and swinging at strikes and taking the balls. I just was more of reacting to the strikes and just hitting and trying to get something in play to score Ella, and it worked in my favor.”

Alannah Leach capped the frame with a sacrifice fly to center, driving Holley home and giving Tennessee a 3-0 lead.

The Lady Vols kept the pressure on an inning later. Pickens and the defense picked up three outs in as many batters to get the bats back in hand. Clarke and Holley notched back-to-back singles to plate another run, pushing the lead to four while time ticked away for the Crimson Tide.

Pickens stayed untouchable the rest of the way. She collected two more strikeouts in the sixth as Alabama managed nothing. The seventh provided Alabama’s only offensive spark after a pinch-hit home run, but Pickens stood firm.

Though she hit the next batter, she struck out the last three hitters to wrap the game and series. 

“We just told ourselves today that we were just going to play with joy, play for each other, and just stick to our core values,” Pickens said. “That’s what we dedicated today to. That’s what all that joy and excitement was from, just pouring it into my teammates.”

The Lady Vols sent Alabama packing in a haze, celebrating in center field with cigars as a nod to the winning tradition born on the gridiron. Even Weekly joined in.

Tennessee’s 4-1 win is important for postseason seeding, as the Lady Vols have effectively secured a top-8 seed for the NCAA Tournament. It’ll be a quick turnaround for Tennessee as it takes on Missouri in a three-game set beginning on April 30. It is the Lady Vols’ final SEC series of the season.

“This kind of series, it’s an opportunity,” Weekly said. “That is a team that’s ranked higher than us, that is having an incredible season, that is gonna be a top-eight seed, that has an opportunity to win a national championship. So, for us to be able to win two out of three this time of year is big time.”