Kentucky Softball (23-16, 6-8 SEC) split its doubleheader against Auburn (23-15, 1-13 SEC). The Tigers took game one 2-1 with a seventh-inning go-ahead RBI, and Kentucky won game two 4-3 with a two-RBI go-ahead triple in the sixth inning.
Sarah Haendiges closed out both games, combining for five scoreless innings with seven strikeouts. She struck out six of eight batters faced in game two, earning her the win.
This marked Haendiges’ ninth win of the season, the fifth coming in relief. Her ability to win games in relief shows her ability to completely blank opposing offenses late in games, but also that the team does a good job of providing her with run support.
“I think it’s a two-way street and it’s really fun,” Haendiges said. “I know our team can get it done… I can go shut it down for them.”
Lauryn Borzilleri had clutch hits in both games. In game one she led off the bottom of the seventh with a single as the tying run, breaking the Wildcats’ four-inning streak of outs. In game two, she drove in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth that would serve as the winning run.
Peyton Plotts second inning solo home run was the Wildcats’ only run in the first game; she also was just short of hitting a walk-off in that game.
Plotts was named as a top 20 outfielder in the nation by Softball America a few days before this series. The sophomore entered the game as Kentucky’s team leader in batting average, slugging percentage, hits, extra-base hits, doubles and RBIs.
Ally Hutchins accounted for half of the Wildcats runs in the second game. She was 2-3 with a double and two runs, she also had one walk.
“Can’t say enough about how good [Hutchins] did,” Head Coach Rachel Lawson said. “She really set the tone in game two.”
Game 1
Alexia Lacatena started on the rubber in game one. The Wildcats won their last four games in which Lacatena started.
Lacatena found herself in trouble early. After striking out the first batter of the game, she allowed a double in which the batter advanced to third on an error. Lacatena escaped with a scoreless first after forcing consecutive flyouts from the next two batters.
The Cats were kept off the bases in the bottom of the first, as the top of the lineup was retired in order. Allie Blum fell victim to a web gem from the third baseman on her hard-hit line drive.
Lacatena held the Tigers off the bases in the second inning, adding another strikeout to her total.
Plotts put the Cats on the board with a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the second inning. This was the seventh home run of the season for Plotts, tying Cassie Reasner as the team leader.
The Tigers led off the top of the third inning with a four-pitch walk. Lacatena responded by striking out the next two batters and then forcing an inning-ending flyout.
The Wildcats went three-up, three-down for the second time in the top of the third inning. The hitters put together good at-bats and hit balls hard but faced unfortunate results.
Auburn’s AnnaLea Adams led off the top of the fourth inning with a solo home run on the first pitch of the at-bat. Lacatena was unfazed and ended the inning without allowing further damage, keeping the game tied 1-1 at the halfway point.
The Wildcats failed to reach base once again in the fourth inning, the third time in four innings.
The Tigers’ first batter of the fifth inning smoked a line drive into left-center field that looked sure to be for extra bases, but Delani Sullivan brought it in on the run to prevent the hit.
Lacatena allowed the next batter to reach on an infield single and the runner stole second base.
This led to Haendiges entering the game to replace Lacatena on the mound. The runner advanced to third on a wild pitch, but Haendiges got out of the inning without allowing a run.
Kentucky was retired in order once again in the fifth, marking four straight innings without a baserunner.
Haendiges found herself in a jam in the top of the sixth, after walking the first batter who then advanced to third on a steal and ground out. She then walked another batter, leaving runners on the corners with one out.
The runner on first was called out after Kentucky successfully challenged that she left early on her steal attempt. Haendiges retired the next batter to end the inning without allowing a run to score.
For the fifth straight inning, the Wildcats went three-up, three-down in the sixth.
The Tigers first two batters of the seventh inning both reached on errors. Haendiges forced a groundout and strikeout, holding the runners with two outs.
Auburn’s cleanup hitter, Adams, hit a line drive into right field on the first pitch of the at-bat to bring across the go-ahead run.
The freshman has been one of Auburn’s best hitters this season, she leads the team in average, OPS and slugging percentage. She also nears the top of the team in home runs, total bases and RBIs, despite starting in 16 fewer games than the full-time starters.
She came up big in this game, as she has multiple times this season, driving in the deciding run in a low-scoring game.
Haendiges retired the next batter to end the inning, giving the Tigers a 2-1 lead headed into the bottom of the seventh.
Borzilleri led off the seventh with a single into right field, ending a streak of 13 consecutive outs.
Plotts stepped up to the plate as the winning run and hit a ball just short of being a walk-off home run, flying out to the warning track.
Two of the next three Wildcat batters struck out to end the game. Allowing Auburn its first conference win of the season and extending the Wildcats conference losing streak to four games.
Kentucky struggled offensively as a team in game one with just three hits and one run. The Wildcats also had three errors, two of which led to the game-winning run.
Game 2
Carson Fall made her 10th start of her freshman season for the Wildcats in game two.
Fall struck out the first batter of the game, the second hit a line drive double into left field. The next two batters were retired, ending the inning with a runner stranded on second base.
Hutchins led off the bottom of the first with a walk, then advanced to second on a single from Borzilleri. Hallie Mitchell hit a two-out RBI ground ball directly up the middle, scoring Hutchins to take a 1-0 lead. Mitchell advanced to second after the centerfielder failed to field her hit cleanly.
The Wildcats left both runners stranded in scoring position, being held to just one run in the first inning.
The Tigers and Wildcats both went three-up, three-down in the second inning.
Fall retired the side in order once again in the third, adding two strikeouts to her total.
Icess Tresvik spent the first nine innings of the series in right field, before getting on the rubber in the bottom of the third inning.
Blum reached base on a hard-hit ground ball up the middle then stole second before scoring on an RBI-double by Borzilleri.
This was the Wildcats’ fourth hit and second run, which surpasses both totals from the first game in just 2 1/3 innings.
“It was really just a matter of focus,” Lawson said. “We were able to pick ourselves up and just bring more energy to it.”
Tresvik exited after recording just one out, she was replaced by Haley Rainey who walked the first two batters she faced to load the bases with one out.
The next two Kentucky hitters struck out to end the inning, stranding all three runners.
Fall retired the first two batters of the fourth inning, this was the ninth and 10th straight out. The streak ended when Fall issued a four-pitch walk to the third batter of the inning. Fall struck out the next batter, tying her career-high in just four innings.
Hutchins hit a two-out double in the bottom of the fourth inning but was stranded when the Tigers shortstop snagged a blooper into center to end the inning.
Fall allowed a single and double from the first two batters she faced, putting both runners in scoring position with no outs. This led to the Wildcats’ first pitching change of the inning, bringing Julie Kelley in to replace Fall.
Kelley recorded a put-out on the first batter she faced after fielding a ground ball up the middle. The next batter hit a line drive just out of the reach of Reasner, bringing across Auburn’s first run of the game.
The next batter hit a ground ball to Emory Donaldson who threw home to prevent the tying run. The run was prevented but all three runners returned to base safely, loading the bases with one out.
Kelley then surrendered a two-RBI lead-taking ground ball up the middle, leaving runners on the corner with one down.
Kentucky made its second pitching change of the inning, bringing in Haendiges once again to replace Kelley.
Haendiges allowed the runners to advance into scoring position with a wild pitch. She then shut the door on the Tigers with a strikeout and inning-ending popout. Kentucky got out of a jam, but it was after Auburn took the lead.
Haendiges has been great at preventing inherited runners from scoring all season, this appearance was no exception.
“I trust in my abilities and my teammates behind me, and I want to help the pitchers before me,” Haendiges said. “I think it’s just a combination of all those things.”
Borzilleri led off the fifth inning with a walk, Madyson Clark followed with a two-out walk. Both runners were stranded on an inning-ending groundout.
Haendiges struck out the first batter of the inning then surrendered a bloop single to center field. She held the runner at first with a fielder’s choice for the second out, then struck out the next hitter to end the inning.
Sullivan got things started for the Cats offense in the bottom of the sixth. She hit a leadoff single and advanced on a bunt for a hit from Hutchins.
Borzilleri drove both runners in with a two-strike, two-out, two-RBI triple into shallow right field. This allowed the Wildcats to pull ahead 4-3 late.
“I was just trying to get my runners in and give Sarah [Haendiges] a chance to close it out in the seventh,” Borzilleri said.
In the top of the seventh, Haendiges struck out the side to even up the series at one game apiece.
The deciding game in the series will be played on Saturday, April 5. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET and the game will be shown live on SEC Network+
