Tag: Payton Gottshall

Lady Vols’ pitchers earn All-America honors

Tennessee softball pitchers named All-American by NFCA.

Tennessee pitchers Karlyn Pickens and Payton Gottshall earned All-America honors by the National Fast Pitch Coaches Association.

Pickens was named First-Team All-American by both D1Softball and Softball America. She becomes the Lady Vols’ second consecutive consensus first-team All-American, and received national honors from the NFCA.

Pickens (22-7) recorded a 1.12 ERA. She appeared in 38 games for the Lady Vols, making 27 starts. Pickens pitched 15 complete games, 12 shutouts and one save, while totaling 225 strikeouts.

Gottshall (20-5) received third-team All-America honors from NFCA. She was named second-team All-America by both D1Softball and Softball America.

Gottshall appeared in 35 games and made 20 starts for the Lady Vols in 2024. She recorded eight complete games, three shutouts and three saves.

Karen Weekly named SEC Coach of the Year

Tennessee head coach Karen Weekly named SEC Coach of the Year for a second consecutive season.

Tennessee head coach Karen Weekly was named Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year by the league’s softball head coaches.

Weekly guided the Lady Vols (40-10, 19-5 SEC) to a second consecutive regular-season conference title in 2024. She earned SEC Coach of the Year honors for a second consecutive season and for the fourth time during her tenure at Tennessee.

The Lady Vols were eliminated by LSU in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals Thursday.

Tennessee, ranked No. 2 nationally, will learn its NCAA Tournament opponent and destination on Sunday.

Lady Vols’ sophomore Karlyn Pickens was named SEC Pitcher of the Year. She joins Monica Abbott as the only Tennessee player to earn the award.

Tennessee players were also recognized as First-Team All-SEC standouts including Pickens, Payton Gottshall, McKenna Gibson, Taylor Pannell and Rylie West.

Kiki Milloy, Sophia Nugent and Zaida Puni all received Second-Team All-SEC honors for the Lady Vols.

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

LSU eliminates Lady Vols from SEC Tournament

LSU softball eliminates the Lady Vols from the SEC Tournament.

No. 8 seed LSU (40-14, 12-12 SEC) defeated No. 1 seed Tennessee (40-10, 19-5 SEC), 2-1, in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals Thursday at Jane B. Moore Field in Auburn, Alabama.

LSU’s victory denies the Lady Vols a second consecutive tournament title and becomes the first team to defeat Tennessee twice this season.

LSU led, 1-0, in the first inning as Tennessee starting pitcher Karlyn Pickens allowed three walks. Ali Newland hit an RBI single.

The Tigers extended their advantage to, 2-0, in the fifth inning.

Tennessee scored its lone run of the game in the fifth inning and pulled to within, 2-1, when Sophia Nugent hit an RBI single.

Nugent went 1-for-3 and recorded one RBI, while McKenna Gibson went 1-for-3 for the Lady Vols, who stranded nine runners in the contest.

Pickens (19-6) started for Tennessee. She pitched five innings, allowing one run, four hits and three walks. She recorded four strikeouts and totaled 87 pitches.

Payton Gottshall pitched two innings before Pickens re-entered. Gottshall pitched two innings. She allowed one run, three hits and one walk. Gottshall recorded one strikeout and totaled 53 pitches.

Lady Vols sweep Kentucky to conclude regular-season

Taylor Pannell hits walk-off home run to lift Tennessee past Wildcats.

No. 3 Tennessee (40-9, 19-5 SEC) defeated No. 25 Kentucky (30-20, 8-16 SEC), 8-7 in eight innings Saturday at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.

The Lady Vols won the Southeastern Conference regular-season championship for a second consecutive year. Tennessee also won all eight of its conference series in 2024. Tennessee enters this weeks SEC Tournament with a three-game win streak.

The Lady Vols needed a walk-off home run from Taylor Pannell to complete the sweep against the Wildcats.

Pannell went 3-for-5. She hit a solo home run and recorded three RBIs and one run. Kiki Milloy went 2-for-3 and hit a solo home run to lead off the game for the Lady Vols. She recorded three runs, one RBI and one walk.

Karlyn Pickens (19-5) pitched 3.1 innings in relief for Tennessee. She allowed three runs, five hits and one walk, while recording four strikeouts.

Ryleigh White started and pitched 1.1 innings for Tennessee. She allowed two runs, three hits and one walk before being relieved by Payton Gottshall.

Randy Sartin/USA TODAY Network

Lady Vols defeat Kentucky to win eighth SEC series

Tennessee softball defeats Wildcats to win SEC series.

No. 3 Tennessee (39-9, 18-5 SEC) defeated No. 25 Kentucky (30-19, 8-15 SEC), 8-3, Friday at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.

With the win, the Lady Vols clinched the series and have now won all eight SEC series this season.

Tennessee overcame a, 3-0, deficit in the contest.

Lady Vols’ leadoff hitter and center fielder Kiki Milloy went 1-for-4. She hit a three-run home run, while Taylor Pannell went 2-for-4. She hit a two-run home run.

Karlyn Pickens (18-5) pitched four innings of relief for the Lady Vols. She recorded five strikeouts.

Payton Gottshall started and pitched three innings for Tennessee. She allowed three runs and five hits, while recording three strikeouts.

Lady Vols defeat Kentucky to open final SEC series

Lady Vols defeat Kentucky to open final SEC softball series.

No. 3 Tennessee (38-9, 17-5 SEC) defeated No. 24 Kentucky (30-19, 8-14), 8-3, Thursday at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.

The Lady Vols overcame an early deficit as Kentucky led, 1-0, in the third inning. Tennessee hit three home runs in the contest.

Taylor Pannell went 2-for-4. She hit a three-run home run and recorded three RBIs. Rylie West went 1-for-4 and hit a solo home run for the Lady Vols.

Sophia Nugent also went 2-for-4 and hit one home run.

Payton Gottshall (19-4) pitched three innings in relief for the Lady Vols. She recorded four strikeouts.

Karlyn Pickens, the reigning SEC Pitcher of the Week, started for Tennessee. She pitched four innings and recorded four strikeouts.

Lady Vols win series opener at Alabama

Tennessee shuts out Alabama softball to open SEC series.

No. 3 Tennessee (36-8, 15-4 SEC) defeated Alabama (31-13, 8-11), 5-0, Friday at Rhoads Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Tennessee won its third consecutive game. The Lady Vols recorded 10 hits in the contest against Alabama.

Kiki Milloy went 2-for-3. She recoded three runs, one double and one stolen base for Tennessee. Zaida Puni went 3-for-4. She recoded one home run, two RBIs and one run.

Payton Gottshall (17-3) pitched seven innings for the Lady Vols. She allowed three hits and two walks, while recording four strikeouts. Gottshall totaled 99 pitches, including 61 strikes.

Game No. 2 between the Lady Vols and Crimson Tide on Saturday is slated for 7 p.m. EDT and will be televised by ESPN2.

Lady Vols shut out LSU to win series

Tennessee softball scores three runs in the sixth inning to clinch a series win against LSU.

No. 4 Tennessee (34-8, 14-4 SEC) defeated No. 7 LSU (35-10, 11-10 SEC), 3-0, Sunday at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.

The Lady Vols clinched a series win against LSU.

Sunday’s series finale was scoreless until Tennessee scored three run in the sixth inning. Giulia Koutsoyanopulos and Rylie West hit doubles in the inning, which was Tennessee’s first extra-base hit during the series.

Koutsoyanopulos went 1-for-3. She recorded one double and two RBIs, while Gabby Leach went 1-for-1. Leach recorded a pinch-hit RBI single in the sixth inning.

Karlyn Pickens (16-6) pitched six innings and earned a win for the Lady Vols. She recorded seven strikeouts and totaled 119 pitches (74 strikes).

Payton Gottshall earned her second save of the season. She pitched one inning and recorded two strikeouts.

Tennessee shuts out LSU in series opener

Tennessee softball shuts out LSU in series opener.

No. 4 Tennessee (33-7, 13-3 SEC) defeated No. 7 LSU (34-9, 10-9 SEC), 3-0, Friday at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.

The Lady Vols scored three unearned runs in the fourth inning, taking advantage of three errors by LSU. Tennessee recorded three hits in the contest.

Kiki Milloy, the Lady Vols’ leadoff hitter, went 1-for-2. She was hit by a pitch and recorded one RBI and one stolen base, while Rylie West went 1-for-3 and scored one run.

Sophia Nugent and Taylor Pannell scored runs for the Lady Vols.

Payton Gottshall started for the Lady Vols and pitched 6.1 innings. She allowed two hits and recorded three strikeouts.

Karlyn Pickens recorded the last two outs and earned her first save of the 2024 season.

Lady Vols win series against Georgia, 30th game of season

Tennessee softball wins series against Georgia on Sunday.

No. 6 Tennessee (30-6, 10-2 SEC) defeated Georgia (31-8, 7-5 SEC), 3-1, Sunday at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.

Tennessee won the Southeastern Conference series, 2-1, against the Bulldogs.

Sophia Nugent went 1-for-3 and hit a three-run home run during the sixth inning for the Lady Vols. Rylie West went 2-for-3 and recorded one run for Tennessee.

Georgia led, 1-0, during the third inning after pinch hitter Jaiden Fields recorded an RBI on a sacrifice fly.

Payton Gottshall (13-3) pitched two innings of scoreless relief for Tennessee and recorded three strikeouts.

Karlyn Pickens started for the Lady Vols and pitched five innings. She allowed one run, three hits and one walk, while recording eight strikeouts.