Mealer and Pannell led the Lady Vols to their fourth NCAA elimination game win with dominant pitching and timely hitting.

The Lady Vols had already faced three elimination games in this NCAA Tournament. Each time, they stepped onto the field with their backs against the wall, fully aware that a single mistake, a single bad inning, could send them packing for the summer. But each time, they delivered.

And on this hot, humid afternoon in Oklahoma City, in front of a crowd that was split between orange-and-white and every other shade of collegiate softball fanhood, the Tennessee Lady Vols delivered once again—this time behind the unflinching arm of Karlyn Mealer and the red-hot bat of Reese Pannell.

The final score: Tennessee 5, Arizona 2.

It was their fourth straight NCAA Tournament elimination game win, and it punched their ticket into the next round of the Women’s College World Series.

The Setting: A Familiar Cliff’s Edge

Tennessee’s path to this point had been anything but smooth. After dropping their second game in the regional round to a scrappy unseeded team, they’d faced elimination in every game since. Most teams would have folded. Most teams do.

But not this one.

“We stopped thinking about the bracket after that loss,” head coach Karen Weekly said. “From that moment on, it became one game at a time. Survive and move forward. That’s it.”

And survive they had. First against Oregon. Then Florida State. Then Texas. And now, Arizona—an experienced team with a deep lineup and two dangerous arms in the circle.

Mealer’s Masterclass in the Circle

If Tennessee had any fatigue from their elimination run, Karlyn Mealer refused to show it.

Pitching for the third time in five days, the junior right-hander was unshakable. Over seven innings, she allowed just four hits, struck out seven, and walked one. Arizona managed two runs—both unearned—after a rare defensive miscue in the fourth, but otherwise, Mealer was in full command.

“She’s got ice in her veins,” catcher Natalie Torres said postgame. “She’s not just throwing—she’s thinking. She knows when to go up, when to go down, when to bait hitters. That’s what makes her elite.”

Mealer’s mix of speed, spin, and location had Arizona’s lineup guessing all night. Her signature riseball was dancing above the bats, drawing swing after swing and leaving hitters muttering as they returned to the dugout.

“She’s the reason we’re still here,” said Coach Weekly. “Period.”

Pannell Sparks the Offense

If Mealer was the heartbeat in the circle, Reese Pannell was the soul of the offense.

The sophomore slugger had already established herself as one of Tennessee’s most reliable bats in the postseason, but today she elevated her game even further.

In the bottom of the third, with the score still knotted at 0-0 and two outs, Pannell stepped to the plate with runners on first and second. Facing Arizona ace Tiana Cruz, she jumped on a first-pitch fastball and crushed it to deep left-center. The ball cleared the fence by 20 feet.

Three-run homer.

The stadium erupted. Tennessee’s dugout exploded. And suddenly, the pressure shifted squarely onto Arizona.

“I just saw it and swung,” Pannell said with a wide grin. “Didn’t overthink it. Just trusted the work.”

She would add another RBI in the sixth with a double down the right-field line that extended Tennessee’s lead to 5-2, giving the Lady Vols breathing room heading into the final frame.

“She’s fearless,” said Torres. “Every big moment we’ve had in this run, she’s been right in the middle of it.”

Defense Closes the Door

While the offense gave the Lady Vols the cushion they needed, it was the defense that preserved it in the late innings.

In the top of the sixth, Arizona loaded the bases with one out. A sharp grounder up the middle looked like it might sneak through for a game-tying hit, but second baseman Tessa Vaughn made a diving stop, flipped to shortstop Maddy Klein, who fired to first for an inning-ending double play that sent the orange crowd into a frenzy.

“That’s what we practice for,” Vaughn said. “That moment. You don’t think. You just react.”

And in the seventh, Mealer retired the side in order—two popups and a strikeout on her 102nd pitch of the game.

Game over.

The Emotion of the Moment

As the final out settled into Torres’ glove, Mealer dropped to her knees near the circle, overcome by emotion. Her teammates swarmed her. Some laughed. Others cried. Pannell lifted her helmet skyward and pumped her fist.

“We’re not done,” she shouted to the crowd.

This Tennessee team, which had faced so much pressure and adversity in the span of a week, was now one win away from the semifinal and potentially two from the national championship series.

“This is the most mentally tough group I’ve ever coached,” said Weekly. “They believe in each other. They fight for each other. You don’t see that every year.”

Behind the Scenes: Grit, Not Glamour

The Lady Vols’ elimination streak wasn’t built on flash. It was built on fundamentals, teamwork, and grit. The pitching staff managed workloads with precision. The hitters made adjustments each game. The bench players stayed locked in and ready.

Every game had a new hero. One night it was Mealer. Another, it was freshman pinch hitter Skyler Monroe, who delivered a two-run double in the seventh to save the game against Texas. Then it was Pannell. Then Klein.

That unity, players say, is their true secret.

“We’re not the team with the most stars,” said Vaughn. “But we’re the team that never thinks it’s over.”

Looking Ahead

With the win over Arizona, Tennessee advances into the final four of the Women’s College World Series bracket. Their next opponent? Stanford, who has remained undefeated in the winner’s bracket and will have the benefit of rest and a full rotation.

The Lady Vols will need to beat them twice to advance to the championship series. That’s a tall order. But no one is counting them out anymore.

“We’ve come this far,” said Pannell. “Might as well finish the job.”

Final Thoughts

For a team that started its tournament run with disappointment and doubt, the Lady Vols have written a postseason story full of resilience, power, and unity. With Mealer in the circle and Pannell at the plate, they have become the embodiment of “survive and advance.”

The road hasn’t been easy. But it’s far from over.

And as the players boarded the team bus, cleats slung over shoulders, music pumping, and eyes focused ahead, there was one overwhelming vibe among them—not exhaustion. Not relief.

Belief.

BOX SCORE SUMMARY

Tennessee 5, Arizona 2 – NCAA Women’s College World Series – Elimination Game 4

Tennessee Highlights:

• Karlyn Mealer: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R (0 ER), 7 K, 1 BB
• Reese Pannell: 2-for-4, HR, 2B, 4 RBI
• Maddy Klein: 1-for-3, R
• Natalie Torres: 1-for-2, 2 BB, 1 R
• Tessa Vaughn: Game-saving double play in 6th

Arizona Highlights:

• Tiana Cruz: 5.2 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 4 K
• Rachel Moreno: 1-for-3, 2 R
• Two unearned runs scored in 4th inning