The No. 23 Kentucky Softball team opened Southeastern Conference play with a 6-4 win Friday night at John Cropp Stadium thanks to a 3-for-3 night from McKenzie Bump and a three-run go-ahead home run by sophomore shortstop Cassie Reasner in the bottom of the third inning.
The Wildcats fell behind twice to open the game, as Mizzou took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second and a 2-1 lead in the top of the third inning before Reasner’s homer gave the Wildcats the lead for good the rest of the game with Lauryn Borzilleri and Ally Hutchins playing add-on in the fourth and sixth inning to lock down the SEC opener for both teams.
Kentucky had two different players with three hits in the game as Borzilleri and Bump both went 2-for-3 in the game, marking the first time since UK’s historic 2016 season that the Wildcats had two three-hit performers at the plate in an SEC opener. Alexia Lacatena got the win in the circle, throwing the opening 4.1 innings, allowing just two earned runs on no walks and a strikeout. Lacatena collected her fifth win of the season in the circle Friday night to move her record to 5-1.
Sarah Haendiges pitched the final 2.1 innings of the game, only allowing one hit, striking out three batters and throwing a zero up on the scoreboard in the Tigers sixth and seventh innings to hand the Wildcats the win.
With the win Friday night, Kentucky is now 1-0 in SEC play and improves to 15-6 overall on the young season. The Tigers drop to an even .500 on the season and sit 0-1 in league play. The series between UK and Mizzou continues Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast live on SEC Network+ with Dave Baker and Carol Bruggeman on the call from John Cropp Stadium. A UK Softball flag giveaway will take place before the game to fans in attendance while supplies last.
Credit: UK Athletics
