By Tyler Spanyer | @KernelSpanyer

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The No. 18 UK softball Cats avenged an 5-1 loss to rival No. 8 Louisville earlier in the season, beating the Cardinals 2-1 thanks to a walk-off base hit by junior Lauren Cumbess.

Freshman Kelsey Nunley extended her single-season wins record to 21 with her complete game performance.

“Kelsey was incredible tonight,” UK head coach Rachel Lawson said. “Louisville is a great hitting team and even though she gave up seven hits, she spread them out enough to give us a chance.”

UK and Louisville went six innings scoreless, and as UK stepped up to the plate in the sixth the game was leaning toward extras. However, a two-out single by senior Alice O’Brien and a wild pitch by Louisville pitcher Rachel Le Coq gave UK a 1-0 lead heading to the final frame.

After grabbing the lead for the first time, Nunley allowed a lead-off home run to the designated player Taner Fowler, tying the game once again. Nunley had to recover quickly as she walked the next batter before retiring three straight to end the threat.

In the bottom of the inning, UK got an infield single from freshman outfielder Sylver Samuel to start the rally. After a walk and a HBP, Cumbess stepped to the plate with extreme confidence.

“I wasn’t nervous at all,” Cumbess said. “I live for those situations.”

Cumbess hit a hard grounder to third base that could not be handled, allowing Samuel to come in for the game-winning run.

“This is a big win for us,” Lawson said. “It’s always great to beat an in-state rival, and especially a really good Louisville club.”

Nunley went the distance, allowing just one earned run and striking out three Cardinal batters.

“I was shaken,” Nunley said when asked about the lead-off home run in the seventh. “I really wasn’t expecting that, but she is a good hitter.”

UK will host SEC newcomer Missouri this weekend in a key conference showdown. Only the top 10 teams qualify for the SEC tournament, and UK currently sits in seventh.

“This is an important weekend for us,” Lawson said. “It is important for us to be seeded well for us to have a chance at a winning the tournament.”