Tennessee moved within one win of the Women’s College World Series after defeating Georgia 3-1 in Game 1 of the Knoxville Super Regional on Thursday night. The Lady Vols struck early with first-inning home runs from Sophia Nugent and Emma Clarke. Karlyn Pickens finished a complete game with 10 strikeouts, ending the night with a bases-loaded punchout.
Now Tennessee has a chance to close out the series Friday and return to Oklahoma City.
Sage Mardjetko’s versatility in the circle
Georgia showed in Game 1 that it can create traffic offensively, collecting seven hits against Pickens. If Tennessee turns to Sage Mardjetko in Game 2, the junior’s ability to mix speeds could become a major factor.
“Sage is going to do four quadrants, but also four quadrants in different speeds,” former Lady Vol Riley West said on Live Ball.
West added, “If there’s a person who can throw a lineup off, it’s definitely her.”
Bella Faw’s defensive intuition
Tennessee’s defense quietly helped preserve Thursday’s win, especially shortstop Bella Faw.
“She is the as good as it gets on reading speed and direction and doing it that quick,” West said.
West said Faw processes plays almost instantly after contact.
“By the time we see a ball get hit … she has already identified the ball, she’s identified her angle to get to the ball and identified how to play the ball,” West said.
Against an experienced Georgia lineup batting .354 as a team this season, Tennessee cannot afford defensive mistakes or extra baserunners.
Tennessee needs Ella Dodge freely competing
Ella Dodge remains one of Tennessee’s biggest X-factors offensively despite recent inconsistency at the plate. Since the Kentucky series her BA has dropped more than 30 points.
“I honestly think that she just has to not put pressure on herself,” West said.
The redshirt sophomore has just one hit in her last 14 at-bats during the NCAA Tournament.
West said Tennessee needs Dodge competing freely rather than trying to carry the lineup.
“All I want for her to do is go and compete and tell herself these Georgia pitchers aren’t going to beat me,” West said.
Pressure Georgia’s pitching staff early again
Tennessee immediately attacked Georgia ace Addisen Fisher in Game 1, forcing her out in the fourth inning after entering the weekend fresh off a complete-game shutout against Clemson.
“I appreciate that they never waited to see what the pitcher was about,” West said. “They just trusted their trust.”
A mentality Tennessee will rely on again in Game 2 as Georgia brings another deep pitching staff option in Randi Roelling, whom the Lady Vols have not yet seen this weekend. The junior left-hander owns a 3.05 ERA this season and has issued just 55 walks, giving Georgia another reliable arm capable of extending the series.
Another aggressive offensive start could send Tennessee back to the Women’s College World Series for the second straight season.
