No. 20 Kentucky Softball Earns Critical 3-1 Win Over No. 11 Arkansas in Series Finale

0

Kennedy Sullivan’s complete game and Taylor Ebbs’ fifth home run of the season led the No. 20 Kentucky Wildcats to a crucial 3-1 victory over No. 11 Arkansas in the series finale on Sunday afternoon. This win helped Kentucky salvage a game from the weekend series.

Sullivan demonstrated her prowess in the circle against one of the country’s best offenses, allowing only six hits, one run, no walks, and striking out two batters in the frame. She threw 82 pitches, with 52 recorded for strikes, earning her third win of the season for the Wildcats.

Taylor Ebbs provided early momentum for Kentucky, hitting a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning to secure a 2-0 lead. This marked the first time in the last five Southeastern Conference games that Kentucky scored first. Ebbs’ homer followed singles by Erin Coffel and Kayla Kowalik and flew to left field, hitting the netting of the John Cropp Stadium videoboard.

Sunday’s result halted Kentucky’s season-long six-game Southeastern Conference losing streak, improving their record to 8-10 in SEC play and 27-15-1 overall. Meanwhile, Arkansas’ record now stands at 34-13, with an 11-7 record in league play.

Kentucky will play its final midweek game of the season on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. ET against Eastern Kentucky at John Cropp Stadium. The game will be broadcast live on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app, with tickets available at UKathletics.com.

Key Play: Taylor Ebbs’ home run was the pivotal play in Sunday’s win.

Key Player: Kennedy Sullivan was the key player, securing the win in the circle on just 82 pitches and striking out two.

Key Stat: Erin Coffel, who was moved to the lead-off position in the starting lineup, went 1-for-2 with a single, reaching on an error and a walk.

Run Recap: Taylor Ebbs’ two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning gave Kentucky a 2-0 lead. UK 2, ARK 0

In the bottom of the second, Kayla Kowalik delivered an RBI single up the middle, scoring Jenna Blanton, who had reached on a single back to the pitcher. UK 3, ARK 0

Arkansas’ sole run came from a solo home run in the top of the fifth inning. FINAL – Kentucky 3, Arkansas 1

For the latest updates on UK Softball, follow the Wildcats on Twitter and Instagram at @UKSoftball.