Karen Weekly explains the strategy behind the unusual use of pitcher Karlyn Pickens against Texas. Tennessee softball won the series 2-1.

Tennessee softball coach Karen Weekly said it was in her game plan to have Karlyn Pickens pitch just the first inning against No. 1 Texas.

Teagan Kavan, the Texas ace and the SEC leader in wins with 18, then did the same to the Vols. But that’s all the fans at sold-out McCombs Field saw of Pickens, who left the game after one inning because of some strategic substitutions by Tennessee coach Karen Weekly.