The New Mexico State Aggies, one of the best offensive teams in the country, lived up to their billing on Saturday, scoring double-digit runs against Kentucky leading them to a doubleheader sweep over the No. 13 Wildcats.
The Wildcats had leads in both games, as UK plated 15 runs of their own, but were unable to score enough to keep up with the Aggies.
Katie Reed and Bailey Vick were bright spots for the UK offense, as Vick went 3-for-3 in the second game, scoring a run and driving in two. Reed had three hits, with two doubles and a home run, driving in a team-high five runs.
The three-game series concludes at 6 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon.
Game 1 – New Mexico State 12, Kentucky 9
Key Stat
12. The 12 runs given up by Kentucky were the most since giving up 20 to UAB in a March 12, 2012 pre-conference tournament at the UK Softball Complex.
Key Play
With the game tied 4-4 in the fourth inning, NMST’s Amy Bergeson roped a double to score three runs, and put the Aggies ahead for good.
Key Player
The key player in the game for Kentucky was Katie Reed, who had a double, a homer and three RBI.
Run Recap
After the first three batters of the game reached for New Mexico State, they all came around to score on a double from Victoria Castro. NMST 3, UK 0
Kentucky would score four runs in the top of the second, as Katie Reed delivered a two-RBI double into center and then an error allowed two more to score. UK 4, NMST 3
New Mexico State tied the game in the bottom of the second on Kelsey Horton’s two-out double and also took the lead with the next batter’s base hit. UK 4, NMST 2
The bottom of the fourth proved to be costly for Kentucky, as NM State struck for five runs on three hits. The first three batters of the inning were walked before a hit batsman forced in a run. With two outs, Bergeson doubled to score three and then a fourth run scored on an RBI single. NMST 10, UK 4
Katie Reed led off the fifth inning with a home run to center field to score UK’s fifth run of the game. IT was one of her pair hits in the game. NMST 10, UK 5
Lead-off walks continued to haunt UK as two were issued to lead off the fifth, and they both came around to score on a base hit. NMST 12, UK 5
Kentucky scored four runs in the seventh as Alex Martens homered to score three, and Abbey Cheek hit a solo bomb. FINAL – New Mexico State 12, #13 Kentucky 9
Game 2 – New Mexico State 10, Kentucky 6
Key Stat
Saturday marked the first time since March 22, 2008 that UK had given up double-digit runs in back-to-back games (11 and 14 to No. 1-ranked Alabama). That was the first season of head coach Rachel Lawson’s tenure at Kentucky.
Key Play
Victoria Castro hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning to give NM State the lead that they would not relinquish.
Key Player
The key player in game two for Kentucky was Bailey Vick who went 3-for-3 with three singles and two RBI.
Run Recap
Kentucky scored the first four runs of the game in the top of the second inning. Kelsee Henson and Jenny Schaper both got aboard with singles and came around to score on a Bailey Vick single. Katie Reed doubled in Vick, and Erin Rethlake singled in Reed to make it 4-0. UK 4, NMST 0
NM State would tie the game on a grand slam from Kelsey Horton in the bottom of the third inning. UK 4, NMST 4
UK re-took the lead in the top of the fifth inning as Jenny Schaper’s single scored Erin Rethlake from second base and Lauren Johnson’s plate appearance plated Abbey Cheek. UK 6, NMST 4
The Aggies scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth on a two-run HR and then four base hits. NMST 7, UK 6
The final three runs of the game were scored off a two-run HR from Victoria Castro and an RBI-double from Caity Szczesny. FINAL – New Mexico State 10, #13 Kentucky 6
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