Look out, Kentucky softball is officially on a roll.
The Wildcats returned to John Cropp Stadium for their home opener on Friday and showed exactly why they are one of the hottest teams in the country. By the time the lights went down, the Cats had scratched out two wins over Michigan State and Dayton, extending their current winning streak to eight games.
The afternoon began with a scoring explosion against Michigan State.
Kentucky's bats wasted no time, hungrier than ever in front of the home crowd. Allie Blum and Peyton Plotts both launched massive home runs, while Ella Emmert provided the insurance with a pair of doubles. When the dust settled, the Cats walked off with a 10-2 run-rule victory in the sixth inning, thanks to the NCAA run rule. If a team is up by more than 8 after the 5th or later inning, the game is called.
But the story of the night was the nightcap against Dayton.
The rise of a freshman phenom
Hailey Nutter has already made national headlines this year with not just one, but two no-hitters as a true freshman. On Friday night, she proved that those were no flukes.
Nutter was absolutely stellar against the Flyers, tossing a complete-game three-hitter. She surrendered just one earned run while striking out four, moving her individual record to a staggering 7-1 on the season.
She wasn't alone in her brilliance. Peyton Plotts continued her tear at the plate, launching her second home run of the day, and seventh of the season, to provide the offensive spark in the 5-1 win.
With the sweep, Kentucky moves to 14-4 on the year. They look balanced, they look aggressive, and in Nutter, they have one of the best young arms in the entire game.
Having that kind of pitcher that can just shut down an entire offense is such a big thing. For that pitcher to be a freshman? That is almost unheard of. Hailey Nutter gives Kentucky a chance in every game she pitches in; that's exactly why she changes everything for this team.
These 3 teams run it back on Saturday
Big Blue Nation won't have to wait long to see if the streak can reach double digits. These three teams are set to run it back later today.
Kentucky will take on Michigan State at 3 p.m. before a rematch with Dayton at 5 p.m. Both games will be available to stream on ESPN+ through the ESPN app. You can find more information and ticket information here.