No. 5 Tennessee (5-3) split a pair of games on opening day of the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic Friday in Cathedral City, California.
The Lady Vols opened the tournament with a, 4-0, victory over Loyola Marymount. Tennessee was run-ruled in its second game, losing to Cal State Fullerton, 11-2, in six innings.
Tennessee sophomore Karlyn Pickens (3-1) pitched a perfect game against Loyola Marymount. She pitched seven innings and recorded 12 strikeouts.
Kiki Milloy and McKenna Gibson each hit solo home runs for the Lady Vols. Destiny Rodriguez hit an RBI double and Taylor Pannell recoded an RBI on a sacrifice fly.
Against Cal State Fullerton (8-3), Tennessee led, 1-0, after Pannell hit a solo home run in the second inning.
Cal State Fullerton led, 8-1, before Gibson hit an RBI groundout, which scored Milloy, who recoded two stolen bases in the contest.
Lady Vols’ starting pitcher Payton Gottshall suffered the loss as she allowed six hits and six runs (three earned) in 3.2 innings. She recorded eight strikeouts in the game.
Milloy became Tennessee’s all time home run leader (58), passing Meghan Gregg for most in school history.
GIVE HER THE CROWN 👑
Kiki Milloy is your all-time home runs leader in Tennessee history!@KikiMilloy pic.twitter.com/udfzUwGkKJ
— Tennessee Softball (@Vol_Softball) February 23, 2024