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ATHENS, Ga. – No. 7 Tennessee received a strong performance from junior Karlyn Pickens in the circle, while sophomore Gabby Leach and senior Sophia Nugent led the offense in a 6-1 victory over No. 13 Georgia at Jack Turner Softball Stadium on Friday night.
 
The Lady Vols (20-3, 1-0 SEC) built a 3-0 lead through the first three innings, highlighted by a pair of sacrifice flies and a towering home run by Nugent to left field. The Seal Beach, California, native finished 1-for-3 with a run and two RBIs.
 
Leach extended the lead to 4-0 with a no-doubt home run to right-center in the sixth inning. The second-year player went 2-for-4 with a run and two RBIs. Georgia responded with a run in the bottom of the sixth, but Tennessee’s offense added two more in the seventh, with RBI singles from Laura Mealer and Leach.
 
PICKENS SHINES
Pickens delivered another dominant pitching performance, throwing her sixth complete game and earning her second shutout of the season. The right-hander held the Bulldogs to just two hits and carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning.
 
Pickens fanned nine batters and walked two, improving to 6-2 on the season. The Weaverville, North Carolina, native now has 81 strikeouts and has lowered her ERA to 0.70.
 
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Senior Kinsey Fiedler extended her reached-base streak to 22 games with a walk in the first inning. She later scored on a pair of wild pitches and a sacrifice fly.
 
Taylor Pannell went 1-for-2 with an RBI and a walk, collecting her team-leading 37th RBI in the first inning.
 
Mealer finished 2-for-4 on the night, including a double in the third inning that set up Tennessee’s third run. With Katie Taylor on first, Mealer’s double moved her into scoring position, and Nugent drove Taylor home with a sacrifice fly.
 
Destiny Rodriguez also had a solid outing, collecting two hits in four at-bats.
 
DUE UP
Game two between Tennessee and Georgia is set for a 2 p.m. ET first pitch on SECN+.