Texas sweeps Tennessee softball in semifinals to end Women's College World Series run

Tennessee softball’s season is over after being swept by No. 2 Texas in two games in the semifinals of the Women’s College World Series on Monday afternoon at Devon Park in Oklahoma City. The Lady Vols lost 5-2 in Game 1 and 4-0 in Game 2, coming up one win short of a trip to the national championship series.

Tennessee (49-12) won its first two games at the College World Series — the Lady Vols beat Texas 6-3 on Thursday and Texas Tech 2-1 in nine innings on Saturday — for the first time since 2013 and were looking to get back to the title series for the first time since then.

Instead it was Texas (50-12), the defending national champion, who ended Tennessee’s season in the semifinals for a second year in a row. Last season it was a 2-0 win in the semifinal for the Longhorns, who went on to beat Texas Tech in three games for the national championship.

Texas scored three runs in the third inning on an RBI single and an RBI double sandwiched around a double steal. Katie Stewart then added a solo home run-in the fifth for a 4-0 lead.

Starter Karlyn Pickens gave up the four runs one six hits over her first five innings pitched. 

No. 1 Alabama needs one win over No. 11 Texas Tech in Monday night’s other semifinal to advance to the national championship games.

Game 1: Texas 5, Tennessee 2

Reese Atwood opened the scoring for Texas in Game 1 with a solo home run in the top of the fourth. Tennessee answered with an RBI triple from Gabby Leach in the bottom of the inning, scoring Ella Dodge from first. 

Katie Stewart then homered in the fifth to put the Longhorns back up 2-1, before Hannah Wells hit a two-run single with the bases loaded.

Tennessee started Erin Nuwer at pitcher and also used Sage Mardjetko, while holding Karlyn Pickens for the second game. 

Mardjetko gave up four runs on six hits over 2.1 innings, allowing tow home runs and a double with three strikeouts and two walks. Nuwer gave up one run on seven hits over 4.2 innings, with one strikeouts and no walks.

Tennessee still looking for third trip to title series

The Lady Vols leave the Women’s College World Series still in search of their third national championship appearance. Tennessee lost in two games in the championship series to Oklahoma in 2013 and in three games to Arizona in 2007.

Karen Weekly had Tennessee in the semifinals for the second time in as many years and in Oklahoma City for the third time in four seasons.

Tennessee finishes at 49-12 overall. The Lady Vols started the season with 26 straight wins before a loss at Mississippi State in March. 

After a one-and-done stop in the SEC Tournament — Ole Miss sent Tennessee home with a 4-1 win — the Lady Vols went through Northern Kentucky and Virginia in the Knoxville Regional and swept Georgia in two games in the Knoxville Super Regional, giving Tennessee its 10th Women’s College World Series appearance in program history.