COLUMBIA, S.C. – No. 7 Tennessee needed extra innings Saturday night to knock off 23rd-ranked South Carolina at Beckham Field, 2-1, to extend its nation-leading 16-game win streak.
Sophomore Camryn Sarvis had the clutch at-bat in the 10th inning, hitting a sacrifice fly to score sophomore Taylor Pannell from third. Initially called out at home, Tennessee challenged the ruling which was reversed as the replay showed Pannell sliding in safely before the tag – scoring the game-winning run.
Tennessee (24-4, 4-0 SEC) started sophomore Karlyn Pickens in the circle. The right-hander tossed nine stellar innings, allowing just one run on six hits, while striking out nine. Pickens earned the win to improve to 13-2 on the year.
Graduate Payton Gottshall relieved Pickens in the 10th inning. She closed the door on the Gamecocks to earn her first save in 2024. Gottshall walked one and struck out two in the relief effort.
A pitcher’s duel, South Carolina (22-6, 0-4) opened with Jori Heard in the circle. She went three innings, giving up just one run on one hit, two walks and four strikeouts. Sage Mardjetko relieved Heard in the fourth and finished the night, tossing seven frames. The right-hander surrendered one run on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts.
Mardjetko suffered the loss and is now 5-3 on the year.
The Gamecocks opened the scoring in the first inning on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Jen Cummings. The run snapped Pickens’ 46-inning shutout streak.
Tennessee answered back in the third as Zaida Puni singled through the left side of the infield, plating Destiny Rodriguez for UT’s first run of the game.
The bats were held in check for much of the night, but Puni finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and a walk.
STAT OF THE DAY
Tennessee has played two extra-inning games this season in the Palmetto State and both ended in 2-1 victories for the Lady Vols.
UP NEXT
The Lady Vols and Gamecocks are back on the diamond Sunday night for game two of their three-game series. The game is slated for a 6 p.m. ET first pitch on SEC Network. Fans can also catch Charley Collier call the game on AM990.
