Tennessee Walks Off Kentucky 8-7 in Extra Innings Saturday
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The No. 3 Tennessee Lady Volunteers swept No. 24 Kentucky with a walk-off 8-7 win in extra innings Saturday afternoon in Knoxville to sweep the regular season finale series of the season. The Wildcats trailed 7-2 in the top of the fifth inning, but responded with five unanswered runs in the fifth and sixth innings to tie the game.
Tennessee won the game in the bottom of the eighth inning with a walk-off solo home run with one out from designated player Taylor Pannell for her third hit of the game as she notched her third RBI of the afternoon to close out the series and the regular season.
Kentucky has locked itself in as the No. 12 seed in next week’s 2024 Southeastern Conference Tournament, where it will play No. 13 Ole Miss on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. ET on the SEC Network. The Wildcats close out the regular season with a 30-21 record and finish the SEC with an 8-16 league record.
UK hit three home runs in the game, with two coming off of SEC Pitcher of the Year contenders Karlyn Pickens and Peyton Gotshall. Senior Erica Thulen hit her first-career home run in the top of the fifth inning to close the gap to 7-6 just after Ally Hutchins hit her sixth HR of the season and second of the weekend to left field to begin the comeback.
Tennessee with Saturday’s result finishes the regular season 40-9 and is now 19-5 in the SEC, having clinched the 2024 SEC Championship earlier in the weekend.
Key Play
Erica Thulen’s first-career home run in the top of the fifth inning to pull the Tennessee lead to one at 7-6 at the time was the key play in the game.
Key Player
Karissa Hamilton was the key player in the game Saturday afternoon, going 2-for-2 with a single, double and a pair of walks at the plate.
Key Stat
10. Kentucky put up a series-high 10 hits during the game.
Run Recap
Kiki Milloy led off the bottom of the first with a solo home run and Taylor Pannell drove in another run later in the inning. UT 2, UK 2
Peyton Plotts hit a two-run game-tying blast in the top of the second inning. UK 2, UT 2
In the bottom of the second, Tennessee’s Makenna Gibson hit an RBI double and a sacrifice fly later in the frame reinstated the Lady Vol lead. UT 4, UK 2
Tennessee extended its lead on two RBI hits in the bottom of the fourth inning to make the deficit for Kentucky five. UT 7, UK 2
In the top of the fifth, Ally Hutchins and Erica Thulen both hit two-run home runs. UT 7, UK 6
With the bases loaded and two outs, Rylea Smith scored on a wild pitch to tie the game. UK 7, UT 7
Tennessee walked off the game with a one-out solo homer in the bottom of the eighth. FINAL – Tennessee 8, Kentucky 7
NEW for 2024 – The Kentucky Softball Designated Players Club
The Designated Players is the Official Booster Program of Kentucky Softball. Financial contributions and community support through The Designated Players program, Kentucky Softball will be able to continue to develop our student-athletes on and off the field. To join The Designated Players, you can join online or click here to download the membership form and mail to the address listed. For more information, email Kristine Himes at kentuckysoftball@uky.edu or Larry Cash at Larry.Cash@uky.edu.
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