UK Softball drops first game in series against Auburn Tigers, 5-3

(UK Athletics)

For the first time since 2018, Auburn has beaten Kentucky in softball.

In a game that was powered by plenty of runs in the first inning, the No. 12 Kentucky Softball Team (29-9) dropped the opening contest of its series against the Auburn Tigers (24-12), falling by a final score of 5-3 on the road. Game two of the three-game stretch is scheduled for Saturday at noon and will be broadcast on the SEC Network.

FINAL – Auburn 5, Kentucky 3

Game two of the series is Saturday at Noon ET on the SEC Network. #WeAreUK

— Kentucky Softball (@UKsoftball) April 17, 2021

Right out of the gate, Kentucky was able to connect off of Auburn freshman pitcher Shelby Lowe thanks to a Kayla Kowalik single to left-field that got the night rolling. The star junior catcher would steal second base and was quickly knocked in by a Lauren Johnson single that gave the ‘Cats an early 1-0 lead. Auburn would manage to escape the early attack from Kentucky with just the one-score deficit before turning up the heat once the Tiger batters came out to play.

Auburn’s Tyler King was walked to open the bottom of the first and later stole second to put the tying run in a great position. UK pitcher Grace Baalman would walk another batter, Sydney Cox, that had the ‘Cats in a bind. Immediately after, Lindsey Garcia reached first base off a Kentucky error that scored Cox to knot the contest at 1-1. But the Tigers weren’t done there.

The next batter up for AU, Alyssa Rivera, would blast a three-run homer that pushed the Tigers to a sizable 4-1 lead before the first inning could even come to a close. Kentucky head coach Rachel Lawson wasted no time subbing out Baalman in favor of Miranda Stoddard, who would get the ‘Cats out of the rest of the inning unscathed.

The next two innings would go scoreless for both sides before Kentucky got back on the board at the top of the fourth. Renee Abernathy was up first and quickly made her mark, sending a home run shot over the centerfield wall that brought the Auburn lead down to 4-2.

Kentucky would pounce again in the top of the fifth as Rylea Smith and Kowalik both got on base early. Tatum Spangler took the plate next for the Wildcats, bringing in Smith and putting Kowalik–the tying run–on third base. But despite the advantage of having zero outs at the time, Aubrun would strike out two Kentucky hitters swinging while getting Lauren Johnson to ground out. It was a missed opportunity, but UK was only down 4-3 heading into the bottom of the fifth.

After Kentucky went scoreless at the top of the sixth, some controversy seeped into the bottom of the inning. Auburn was able to get Justus Perry on second base before Maddison Koepke pushed a single over second base that had Perry sprinting for home plate. Kowalik was there waiting on her and appeared to receive the ball well before Perry was able to reach the plate, but the umpire called Kowalik for obstruction, and another run was tacked on to make it 5-3 in favor of Auburn.

Kentucky failed to score in the top of the seventh despite having both Kowalik and Johnson on base. And with just one out to go, Rowe struck out Abernathy swinging to earn the complete game and the win by a final count of 5-3. The ‘Cats had more total hits (winning that battle 9 to 8) but recorded three errors on its way to the loss.

Kowalik, who went 3-4 at the plate, was still able to make history for UK, tying the school record with her 18th consecutive hit. She is just the third Wildcat to register a hit in at least 15 straight games.

First pitch for game two is slated for noon on Saturday.