Tennessee softball has its back against the wall in the 2025 super regionals with Nebraska.

The 7-seed Lady Vols dropped game one of the best-of-three series 5-2 on Friday evening.

This forces Tennessee to win consecutive games on Saturday and Sunday to advance to the Women's College World Series. One more loss eliminates the Lady Vols in the super regional stage at home in consecutive seasons.

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Karlyn Pickens got the ball to start the game for the Lady Vols. She went 3.2 innings, but was touched up. She allowed five runs (just three earned) on four hits, two walks and seven strikeouts.

Behind her, Sage Mardjetko went the rest of the way to allow Pickens to rest up for the remainder of the weekend. She threw 3.1 frames of hitless softball while issuing two walks and striking out one.

For Nebraska, Jordy Bahl got the ball. The two-way star dominated, throwing the entire game and only allowing two runs on seven hits.

At the plate, Bahl went 1-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored.

Tennessee took Bahl yard once in the game. Sophia Nugent drilled a home run in the second inning to tie the game up at the time. The other run came on a wild pitch.

Nebraska did not waste any time getting its offense started. The Huskers got their lead-off batter, Bahl, on with a single. After stealing second, a two-out single scored her.

The Lady Vols got the run back in the bottom of the second. Nugent hammered a home run to left-center to lead off the inning. This was Tennessee's first hit of the game after going down in order in the first.

After walking Bahl in the third, a double to right pushed her across to score her second run of the game. In the fourth, a lead-off home run made it a 3-1 lead for Nebraska.

That wasn't all the Huskers produced in the inning, though. With two outs and two on, a pop up to shortstop wasn't dealt with and hit the ground on an error. This allowed one run to score, but Tennessee had the second runner trying to cross well beat. However, the throw home wasn't handled and got away from the catcher.

This series of events made it a 5-1 lead for Nebraska.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Lady Vols got two in scoring position with one out. After a strikeout, a wild pitch pushed across one run by the thinnest of margins. That was the extent of the damage, though.

Tennessee tried again to get the offense going in the sixth, but stranded a runner on first after getting a two-out single from Taylor Pannell.

The Lady Vols got a double in the seventh by Gabby Leach but left her on, as well, to finalize the three-run loss.

Saturday, May 24

Gates open 60 minutes prior to first pitch

5:00 p.m. – Game 2 (Tennessee vs. Nebraska)

Airs on ESPN

Sunday, May 25 (if necessary)

Gates open 60 minutes prior to first pitch

TBD – Game 3 (Nebraska vs. Tennessee)

TV designation undecided

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