Matty Moss saves the day as Lady Vols win regional against North Carolina

It took 12 innings Sunday for the Tennessee softball team to get a bead on North Carolina pitcher Brittany Pickett.

Even when the Lady Volunteers did, it was for just a pair of runs.

But once she was given the ball, a pair of runs was more than Matty Moss needed.

Ashley Morgan hit a two-run double in the bottom of the fifth inning of the deciding game of the NCAA regional in Knoxville, and Moss came on in relief of starter Caylan Arnold to shut down the Tar Heels and help the Lady Vols advance to the super regional round with a 2-0 win at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.

Tennessee had entered the day needing to win only once to advance out of the double-elimination bracket, but the Lady Vols dropped the opening game of the championship round to the Tar Heels, 1-0.

The Lady Vols (42-15) will visit Florida (47-15) later this week, with the winner of the best-of-three series moving on to the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City the following week. Tennessee beat the Gators two out of three in the regular-season series in Gainesville.

Pickett (23-14) shut down the Lady Vols in Sunday's first game, limiting the hosts to a pair of hits. Tennessee starter Ashley Rogers (21-5) matched Pickett for the first five innings before allowing a home run to Kristina Burkhardt in the bottom of the sixth. The former Meigs County High School ace struck out eight and gave up just two hits.

Earlier that inning, Tennessee had leadoff batter Aubrey Leach reach base on a bunt single and advance to third by virtue of a stolen base and a Chelsea Seggern flyout to third, only to be stranded there as Pickett struck out Amanda Ayala.

The Lady Vols threatened again in the seventh, with Haley Bearden reaching on an infield single that glanced off Pickett's glove. She was replaced on base by Treasuary Poindexter, who advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by former Silverdale Baptist Academy standout Kaili Phillips and to third on Cailin Hannon's groundout to third.

Pickett again halted a Tennessee scoring threat with a strikeout, this time getting Gracie Osbron swinging to end the game.

In the second game, Pickett was strong again, pitching out of a jam in the bottom of the third, when Leach had a one-out double to center field that was followed by Jenna Holcomb's single that moved Leach to third. The North Carolina starter then struck out Seggern swinging before getting Morgan on a flyout to left field.

Tennessee starter Arnold (10-8) was even better, though, shutting down the Tar Heels for six innings.

She scattered four hits and struck out six while taking the two-run lead into the top of the seventh. After giving up a leadoff double to Berlynne Delamora, she was replaced in the circle by the senior Moss, who got Abby Settlemyre to pop up to second base before striking out Zoe Goodman swinging and Campbell Hutcherson looking.

It was the fourth save this season for Moss, who has an 11-2 record.

Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenley3 or at Facebook.com/VolsUpdate.

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