Tennessee softball is headed back to the Women's College World Series after fending off Nebraska in the Knoxville Super Regional.

The decisive game three was claimed by the 7-seed Lady Vols 1-0 over the Huskers.

This will be the 9th appearance in the WCWS for Tennessee in program history. Most recently, the Lady Vols were in the event in 2023. Last season, they were cut short in the Knoxville Super Regionals in a loss to Alabama.

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Tennessee does not own a national title, but have been to the finals series twice.

It was a complete game shutout by Karlyn Pickens in the circle that got the job done to punch the ticket on Sunday. She allowed just two hits throughout the entire game while striking out 10 batters.

She opposed Jordy Bahl who threw the entire game for Nebraska. Bahl allowed one run on four hits while striking out four. The lone run of the game was off the bat of Ella Dodge who hit a first inning solo shot.

Pickens got the game started with an impressive inning with great defense behind her. To earn the final out, Nebraska singled but was gunned down by Alannah Leach in left field on a throw to second.

In the bottom of the opening inning, Tennessee appeared to get its lead-off batter on in Gabby Leach. However, her single was wiped off the board by the umpires for what was believed to be deemed a foot out of the batter's box on contact.

With two outs, the Lady Vols took the lead, though. Dodge hit her second home run off Bahl in two days for a solo shot. It was initially ruled to stay in the yard, but a review revealed it bounced off the top of the wall, off the bleachers and back into play.

The following innings were a true pitchers duel. Tennessee did threaten in the bottom of the fourth, though. The Lady Vols got a pair of runners on with just one out, but couldn't push across any additional damage.

For Pickens, she wouldn't put a runner on base until a the fifth inning. In the top of the frame, she allowed the lead-off batter to get aboard with an infield single. A past ball put her on second with no outs.

Ultimately, Pickens would put another pair on via hit-by-pitch and walk to load the bases with two outs. She struck out the final batter with three pitches to leave Bahl in the on-deck circle and protect the 1-0 lead.

Tennessee responded by getting Alannah Leach on base where she would steal second. However, she was stranded.

With both teams trading empty at-bats in the sixth, Pickens returned in the seventh to try to close out the win. She made quick work of the trio of batters she saw to send the Lady Vols to the Women's College World Series.

Tennessee now moves on to Oklahoma City where it will compete in the Women's College World Series. The Lady Vols' first opponent as one of the final eight teams remaining will be 2-seed Oklahoma. The Sooners have claimed four straight national titles.

The event will begin on May 29.

The WCWS is a two-loss elimination format to decide the final two teams remaining. Those final pair of squads will play in a best-of-three to decide the national champion.

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