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Pickens, Pannell lead No. 9 Tennessee past No. 13 Duke

Screenshot 2024-07-31 at 7.46.34 PMby:Brady Vernon•about 14 hours•

BradyVernon

Screenshot 2025-03-11 at 4.32.40 PM
Courtesy of Tennessee Athletics.

The recipe for No. 9 Tennessee’s success this season has had a lot to do with Karlyn Pickens and Taylor Pannell. The secret sauce worked once again in the Lady Vols’ 1-0 mid-week win over No. 13 Duke on Tuesday.

Pickens had some of her best stuff and it was clear from the start. She struck out both Aminah Vega and Ana Gold in just seven pitches to open the game. The fireballer ended the contest with 10 Ks.

She only allowed two hits in the win. Amiah Burgess led off the seventh with an infield single. She’d move over to second on a fielder’s choice. KK Mathis gave one a ride to center field but Saviya Morgan tracked it down for an over-the-shoulder catch. Pickens then ended it by striking Brooklinn Thomas and stranding Burgess at third.

Duke started Dani Drogemuller in the circle, fresh off two good outings against Clemson. The graduate student did enough to give her team a chance to win. She went four innings, allowing one run on three hits.

Drogemuller faced trouble early after Morgan, the Tennessee leadoff hitter, dribbled one back to Drogemuller and beat out the throw. The Blue Devils erased Morgan after Drogemuller and Kairi Rodriguez paired up for a strike’em out, throw’em out. That played huge because Pannell stepped up to the plate with two outs. The Lady Vols’ RBI leader lined a solo shot over the left field wall.

Pannell had a chance to widen the gap for Tennessee in the third. A hit batter and an error put runners in scoring position with one out for the Lady Vols’ third baseman. Even a productive out would bring home a run. Drogemuller wasn’t going to let that happen. She struck out Pannell after a six-pitch at-bat, batting back from a 2-0 count. McKenna Gibson then lined out to end the threat.

Cassidy Curd was efficient in her two innings, striking out four batters. She allowed two baserunners in the sixth but Aminah Vega’s diving grab in the infield kept the deficit at one.

We also have to show this diving grab by Morgan in foul territory to send Vega, Duke’s top hitter back to the dugout.

Tennessee remains in Knoxville this weekend to host UConn in a non-conference series. Duke returns home to host Syracuse.

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