OKLAHOMA CITY – Emma Clarke blasted a walk-off home run to center field in the bottom of the ninth inning as seventh-seeded Tennessee defeated No. 11 seed Texas Tech, 2-1, on Saturday afternoon at Devon Park, advancing to the semifinals of the Women’s College World Series.
Clarke’s game-winning homer, her 14th of the season, came on the first pitch of the ninth inning and capped a dramatic pitchers’ duel between two of the nation’s top staffs. The walk-off marked Tennessee’s first game-ending home run at the Women’s College World Series since Tonya Callahan’s 11th-inning blast against Michigan in 2005.
Tennessee improved to 49-10 overall, while Texas Tech dropped to 58-8 on the year.
The Lady Vols received another dominant performance in the circle from Karlyn Pickens and Sage Mardjetko. Pickens started and worked 6.2 innings, allowing one run on five hits while striking out six. Mardjetko entered in relief in the seventh inning and tossed 2.1 scoreless frames to earn the victory, improving to 16-2 on the season.
Both teams threatened early but were unable to break through against the All-America-caliber pitching on display. Tennessee stranded three runners in the third inning after loading the bases against Texas Tech starter Kaitlyn Terry and reliever NiJaree Canady.
Pickens settled in after allowing a first-inning single, retiring 11 consecutive Red Raider hitters, and keeping Texas Tech off the scoreboard through six innings.
The Lady Vols finally broke the scoreless tie in the fifth when freshman Taelyn Holley launched a solo home run to left field. The blast gave Tennessee a 1-0 lead and marked the second consecutive WCWS game in which a Lady Vol freshman homered.
Texas Tech mounted its best threat in the sixth inning when Mia Williams doubled and Mihyia Davis followed with a single up the middle. However, Sophia Knight delivered one of the game’s biggest defensive plays, firing a strike from center field to cut down Williams at the plate and preserve Tennessee’s lead.
The Red Raiders eventually broke through in the seventh. Tech’s leadoff hitter singled and later scored on Desirae Spearman’s sacrifice fly, tying the game at 1-1. After the run scored, Mardjetko entered with runners on base and worked out of the jam, highlighted by an Alannah Leach diving grab to end the frame.
Neither team scored in the eighth inning before Mardjetko retired Texas Tech in order in the top of the ninth.
That set the stage for Clarke, who wasted no time in the bottom half. The sophomore second baseman drove a 1-0 pitch over the center-field wall, sending Tennessee into celebration and securing the Lady Vols’ second walk-off victory of the postseason.
Holley and Clarke accounted for Tennessee’s two runs with solo home runs, while Bella Faw, Knight and Gabby Leach each added a hit. Texas Tech’s five hits were spread among five different players.
DUE UP
The Big Orange now advances to the semifinals of the Women’s College World Series. They will await the winner of game nine and will play again on Monday at noon ET. The semifinals will be televised on ESPN.
