SAN DIEGO – Thanks to a big day from fifth-year senior Rylea Smith and clutch pitching out of Stephanie Schoonover and Alexia Lacatena, the No. 25 Kentucky Softball team won its sixth-straight opening day game Friday afternoon as it beat UC Santa Barbara, 5-1.
The Wildcats scored once in each of the second and third innings with a two-spot in the fifth and tacked on an insurance run in the sixth. UCSB’s only run came in the top of the sixth inning.
Rylea Smith was the offensive standout for Kentucky as the St. Louis, Missouri native went 3-for-4 at the plate, a triple shy of the cycle and scored twice. In the third inning, Smith doubled to left center and scored after stealing third and tapping home on an Ally Hutchins’s RBI groundout. In the fifth inning, she hit her fifth-career home run and pushed the Wildcats lead to 4-0.
In the circle, Stephanie Schoonover got the win, going 5.1 innings allowing just one run on three hits with nine strikeouts in 121 pitches. Alexia Lacatena entered in the sixth inning with two on and one out, slamming the door on the Gauchos with a strikeout and a lineout, earning a save on 1.2 innings and two strikeouts.
Friday was also UC Santa Barbara’s opening game of the season as UCSB moves to 0-1 and Kentucky levels up to 1-0. The Wildcats face No. 3 Stanford at 4 p.m. ET Friday afternoon to close out its opening day slate of games.
Rylea Smith’s Big Day Leads No. 25 Kentucky To Opening Win – UK Athletics
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The Wildcats scored once in each of the second and third innings with a two-spot in the fifth and tacked on an insurance run in the sixth. UCSB’s only run came in the top of the sixth inning.
Rylea Smith was the offensive standout for Kentucky as the St. Louis, Missouri native went 3-for-4 at the plate, a triple shy of the cycle and scored twice. In the third inning, Smith doubled to left center and scored after stealing third and tapping home on an Ally Hutchins’s RBI groundout. In the fifth inning, she hit her fifth-career home run and pushed the Wildcats lead to 4-0.
In the circle, Stephanie Schoonover got the win, going 5.1 innings allowing just one run on three hits with nine strikeouts in 121 pitches. Alexia Lacatena entered in the sixth inning with two on and one out, slamming the door on the Gauchos with a strikeout and a lineout, earning a save on 1.2 innings and two strikeouts.
Friday was also UC Santa Barbara’s opening game of the season as UCSB moves to 0-1 and Kentucky levels up to 1-0. The Wildcats face No. 3 Stanford at 4 p.m. ET Friday afternoon to close out its opening day slate of games.
Rylea Smith’s Big Day Leads No. 25 Kentucky To Opening Win – UK Athletics
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