Emma Clarke hit a leadoff home run to deep center field in the bottom of the ninth inning Saturday, lifting Tennessee to a 2-1 victory over Texas Tech in a winner's bracket game at the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City.
The Associated Press reported the win sends the seventh-seeded Lady Vols into the national semifinals with a perfect 2-0 record at the tournament. Tennessee, now 49-10 on the season, will play either Texas, Alabama, or Nebraska on Monday with a spot in the championship series on the line.
Eleventh-seeded Texas Tech, which entered the day at 58-8, will face UCLA on Sunday in an elimination game.
Starting pitcher Karlyn Pickens carried a shutout and a 1-0 lead into the seventh inning for Tennessee. Texas Tech tied the game when Taylor Pannell, a transfer from Tennessee, scored on a sacrifice fly from pinch hitter Desirae Spearman. Pannell was originally ruled out at home on a throw from center fielder Sophia Knight, but video review showed that catcher Elsa Morrison had missed the tag.
Reliever Sage Mardjetko came on and walked the first batter she faced, loading the bases. The threat ended when left fielder Alannah Leach made a diving catch to close out the inning.
Tennessee had taken the lead in the fifth inning when Taelyn Holley homered to left field on a one-strike pitch from NiJaree Canady. That stood as the only run until Texas Tech tied it in the seventh.
The defensive highlight of the game came in the sixth inning from Knight. After Mia Williams doubled with one out and Mihyia Davis singled up the middle, Knight threw out Williams at home with a perfect one-hop throw to Morrison, keeping the game tied at one.
Kaitlyn Terry, who came on in relief for Texas Tech, gave up Clarke's decisive home run in the ninth.
The historical weight of the result is significant. Thirty-six of the 42 national champions in Women's College World Series history started the tournament at 2-0.
