MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Friday was an eventful opening day for the Kentucky Softball team as the Wildcats earned two shutout wins with a 5-0 victory over North Carolina A&T and an 11-0 win in five innings over Northern Illinois in which senior catcher Ella Emmert hit her first-career home run and Karissa Hamilton became the first Kentucky Softball player since 2001 to hit for the cycle.
In game one, it was Sarah Haendiges who stole the show in the circle, as she struck out 12 batters on the afternoon in her first complete-game shutout of the season as she led Kentucky to a 5-0 win over North Carolina A&T. In game two, Kentucky took a 3-0 lead into the fifth inning and put up an eight spot on the scoreboard, with the Wildcats sending 11 batters to the plate to induce the run rule and cap off an 11-0 win over the Huskies.
Karissa Hamilton stepped up in the top of the first inning and hit a two-run home run to right center to give Kentucky a 2-0 lead for the opening leg of the cycle. In the top of the third inning, Hamilton singled up the middle to make things halfway there for the cycle. In the top of the fifth inning, Hamilton was one of three players to bat twice, in which she had an RBI double in the first part of the inning and then tripled off the wall in right center to complete the cycle. Hamiton is now the second player all-time at Kentucky to have hit for the cycle, as she joins Angie Del Pozzo, who went 4-for-4 with a cycle against Akron in 2001.
Also in the fifth inning of UK’s win against Northern Illinois, senior captain Ella Emmert hit her first-career home run as she banged one off the left-field foul pole to record her first-career dinger. Emmert’s homer was a two-run shot and put Kentucky up 9-0 in the inning.
Kentucky is now 9-4 on the season with the wins Friday on the opening day of the 2026 Blues City Classic. The Wildcats will return to action Saturday for games against Bradley and the host Memphis Tigers with the game against Memphis televised on ESPN+ and the ESPN app.
Karissa Hamilton Hits for Cycle, Ella Emmert Hits First-Career HR – UK Athletics
In game one, it was Sarah Haendiges who stole the show in the circle, as she struck out 12 batters on the afternoon in her first complete-game shutout of the season as she led Kentucky to a 5-0 win over North Carolina A&T. In game two, Kentucky took a 3-0 lead into the fifth inning and put up an eight spot on the scoreboard, with the Wildcats sending 11 batters to the plate to induce the run rule and cap off an 11-0 win over the Huskies.
Karissa Hamilton stepped up in the top of the first inning and hit a two-run home run to right center to give Kentucky a 2-0 lead for the opening leg of the cycle. In the top of the third inning, Hamilton singled up the middle to make things halfway there for the cycle. In the top of the fifth inning, Hamilton was one of three players to bat twice, in which she had an RBI double in the first part of the inning and then tripled off the wall in right center to complete the cycle. Hamiton is now the second player all-time at Kentucky to have hit for the cycle, as she joins Angie Del Pozzo, who went 4-for-4 with a cycle against Akron in 2001.
Also in the fifth inning of UK’s win against Northern Illinois, senior captain Ella Emmert hit her first-career home run as she banged one off the left-field foul pole to record her first-career dinger. Emmert’s homer was a two-run shot and put Kentucky up 9-0 in the inning.
Kentucky is now 9-4 on the season with the wins Friday on the opening day of the 2026 Blues City Classic. The Wildcats will return to action Saturday for games against Bradley and the host Memphis Tigers with the game against Memphis televised on ESPN+ and the ESPN app.
Karissa Hamilton Hits for Cycle, Ella Emmert Hits First-Career HR – UK Athletics