Former Tennessee softball star Karlyn Pickens pitches shutout for Team USA

Former Tennessee softball star Karlyn Pickens showcased her pitching prowess as she led the U.S. women's national team to a dominant 9-0 victory over New Zealand in their first match of the Women's Softball World Cup. This shutout, achieved on September 14 at Devon Park in Oklahoma City, featured an impressive 10 strikeouts and only one hit allowed over five innings.

Pickens' debut for the national team came ahead of her senior season at Tennessee, and she continues to excel as the 2028 Olympics approach. Her performance was complemented by her teammate Aubrey Leach-Gartner, who has been a consistent contributor to the U.S. team. Leach-Gartner boasts an impressive .625 batting average with four runs scored, one RBI, and two walks through four games, playing for the Carolina Blaze in the AUSL.

Pickens, the No. 1 pick in the 2026 AUSL Draft, led Tennessee to the Women's College World Series in three of her four years, earning back-to-back SEC Pitcher of the Year awards. Leach-Gartner, an All-American infielder at UT from 2016-2019, has been an integral part of Tennessee's coaching staff since 2021 and was promoted to an assistant coach in June.

Currently, the U.S. women's team is in Group C of the Women's World Cup, where they have yet to concede a single run. They began their group play with a 11-0 win over Mexico, followed by straight 17-0 victories against Brazil and the Netherlands. The Women's World Cup Finals are scheduled to take place in 2027, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the final stage.