Kentucky Softball (22-19, 1-14 SEC) falls to Oklahoma (38-3, 11-1 SEC) in the series finale 12-2 in five innings in a weekend worth forgetting for the Cats.
The Wildcats have had their longest losing streak in SEC play in the Rachel Lawson era with 14. This is the first time Kentucky has lost 14 consecutive SEC games in program history, and the most since Lawson’s first season losing then a program record 10 consecutive SEC games.
This marks the fourth straight season Kentucky has lost 14 or more SEC games and is on pace for its worst league record since 2008 when it went 3-25 in league play.
Sarah Haendiges was on the mound for the second day in a row after a rough outing in game two, only going 1.2 innings pitched, walking five and allowing six runs.
Haendiges got through two innings only allowing a run, but an Isabela Emmerling two-run single in the third ended her outing, going three innings pitched, allowing four hits, and three runs. Abby Hammond and Maddie Oslanzi came in for relief and went a combined 1.2 innings, allowing nine runs on seven hits.
The Sooners poured it on in the fourth highlighted by a three-run home run by Kendall Wells, giving Oklahoma an 7-0 lead. The Sooners added five more in the fifth, ending the game on a walk-off grand slam by Kasidi Pickering. Oklahoma finished the series hitting 30-67 at the plate with a .448 average, scoring 31 total runs in the series.
Kentucky had a total of three hits on the day. Two of those hits came in the fifth where it scored both of their runs by RBI singles from Reaghan Oney and Carly Sleeman.
It was an overall tough performance from Kentucky, finishing with a -26 run differential on the weekend with every game ending in a five inning run rule. The Cats bats were silent all week going a combined 13-57 at the plate for a .228 average. This is the 11th time Kentucky has lost in a run rule this season. 10 of those run rules have come in SEC play.
According to warrennolan.com Kentucky has the 16th hardest SOS (Strength of Schedule) in the country, and 14 of the 15 teams ahead of them are SEC teams. Sure, you can say the road hasn’t been easy but for a program that is all too familiar with success over the last decade and a half you can’t be too happy with Kentucky’s season.
Since 2023, Kentucky is 26-58 in SEC play, 15-27 at home and 11-34 on the road. The struggles haven’t just been this year alone. It’s been an accumulation of the last three years for the Cats. Kentucky is winless at home this year in SEC play and with one more series at home versus rival No. 8 Tennessee Volunteers.
