This college softball season has been nothing short of electrifying, with players showcasing jaw-dropping statistics that make us rethink the boundaries of the game. Arkansas first baseman Bri Ellis is lighting up the diamond with numbers that evoke memories of Barry Bonds in his prime, while Nebraska’s multi-talented star Jordy Bahl is drawing exciting comparisons to the incredible Shohei Ohtani. Over at Boise State, history was made as Sophia Knight became the first player in over two decades to exceed 100 hits in a single season, and Belmont’s Maya Johnson racked up a staggering 366 strikeouts.
Amidst all this talent, one player has truly taken the spotlight: Tennessee pitcher Karlyn Pickens. Her performance this season has not just been impressive; it has redefined what’s possible on the mound. On Saturday, during a Super Regional showdown against Nebraska, Pickens shattered her own NCAA record by firing a pitch that clocked in at an astonishing 79.4 miles per hour. This isn’t just a new benchmark for Pickens; it marks the fastest pitch ever recorded in the annals of Division I college softball history.
In a thrilling moment captured on video, the record-setting pitch was fouled off by none other than Bahl, a reminder of the high stakes and incredible talent on display this season:
Karlyn just hit 79.4 on the gun – the new fastest pitch in NCAA Softball history, breaking her own record of 78.2!
Her meteoric rise is a key driver behind the Lady Vols’ journey to the Super Regionals, highlighting her pivotal role in their Game Two victory, which set the stage for a dramatic winner-take-all Game Three on Sunday. In that crucial match, Pickens was electric, allowing just two runs on five hits while striking out an impressive 11 batters over seven innings, leading her team to a nail-biting 3-2 win against the Huskers.
Looking at the season stats, Pickens, a junior from Weaverville, North Carolina, boasts a remarkable 1.03 ERA that ranks second in the nation. She’s also eighth in the country for hits allowed per seven innings at 4.21, stands 16th for strikeout-to-walk ratio at 4.67, and comes in sixth for total strikeouts with a jaw-dropping 270. Her performance has earned her the title of SEC Pitcher of the Year, and she currently sports a 23-9 win-loss record, which is no small feat in such a competitive landscape.
It’s worth noting that the previous record for the fastest pitch—the 78.2 MPH one—was also thrown by Pickens earlier this season against Arkansas. If the Volunteers keep their momentum and advance to the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City, we might just witness her break that record once again. One thing is certain: Karlyn Pickens is a force to be reckoned with, and her journey is shaping up to be one for the history books.
