While the baseball Cats swept their weekend series, Kentucky softball was on the road for a brutal SEC opening test. No. 19 Kentucky (19-6) split the first two games with Auburn before a 13-inning marathon rubber match broke out on Saturday night.
Game 1: The first-inning statement
Kentucky jumped all over the Tigers early, hanging five runs in the opening frame. While Auburn clawed back with three, the Cats slammed the door with a 3-run 7th to take the opener 8-3.
Starter Sarah Haendiges went 4.0 innings before giving way to the fabulous Hailey Nutter. The freshman sensation totally shut down the Tigers with 3.0 innings of no-hit baseball. Nutter has been absolutely lights-out this season, already boasting two no-hitters as a true freshman.
Game 2: The doubleheader turn
With severe weather looming on Sunday, the series shifted to a Saturday doubleheader. In the afternoon tilt, Kentucky’s bats cooled off. Despite scoring in the first, the Cats only managed five hits all game. Auburn took control and added insurance in the 6th to even the series with a 6-2 win.
Game 3: The 13-Inning War
In 80-degree heat, the rubber match turned into absolute war. Down 5-3 in the 7th, Kentucky showed its mettle as Karissa Hamilton and Carly Sleeman crushed solo home runs to tie it up and force extra innings.
While Nutter was the hero of Game 1, this was Sarah Haendiges' time to shine. Coming on in relief, she threw a staggering 8.1 innings of scoreless ball before Auburn finally broke through with a walk-off double in the bottom of the 13th.
Between the two games of the doubleheader, these teams played nearly the equivalent of three full games in one day.
The takeaway
While the Cats came up just short in the series (2-1), they secured a vital road win in the SEC, and that is always goal number one. Win 1 on the road, and 2 at home. Do that all year and you'll have a great year.
Up Next: The Cats return to Lexington to host Southern Indiana on Wednesday (5:00 PM ET) before welcoming Florida to the Cropp for the first home SEC weekend of the year, starting Friday.