Rachel Lawson Earns Career Win 700 in 8-0 Run Rule of Evansville
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Kentucky Softball head coach Rachel Lawson earned her 700th-career win as a head coach Sunday afternoon in an 8-0 run-rule win over the Evansville Purple Aces to close out the 2025 pre-conference schedule.
The Wildcats got 11 strikeouts in a complete-game effort from pitcher Sarah Haendiges, who went the distance to earn her first complete-game win of the season. Haendiges allowed only one hit in the game as an unfortunate sun ball escaped the eyes from the UK outfield and the ball fell in for a hit, the only one registered by the Purple Aces the entire game. She threw 114 pitches in the contest and only surrendered two walks to her 11 K’s.
Offensively, three UK players had multi-hit games with lead-off batter McKenzie Bump going 2-for-4 on the day with a run scored and a pair of runs batted in. Emory Donaldson drove in three runs Sunday afternoon, including a two-run double in the bottom of the fifth inning to break open the game. Ally Hutchins went 2-for-3 at the plate with a run scored and a walk as she was backed up in the order by Peyton Plotts, who tallied a pair of hits in four plate appearances and scoring a run.
Sunday marked the end of the pre-conference schedule for Kentucky as the Wildcats will open up Southeastern Conference play Friday night at 6:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network+ against the Missouri Tigers as Dave Baker and Carol Bruggeman have the call for Kentucky’s home opener at John Cropp Stadium as it christens the 2025 home season, its 13th season as the home of Kentucky Softball.
UK is now 14-6 on the season, as Evansville falls to 10-8.
Key Play
The key play in the game was Emory Donaldson’s two-run double in the bottom of the fifth inning to break open the game to make things 5-0 in favor of the Wildcats.
Key Player
Kentucky’s key player was Sarah Haendiges who threw a complete-game shutout with 11 strikeouts and only surrendering one unlucky hit in the contest.
Super Stat
- Kentucky closes out the pre-conference schedule with 14 wins.
Run Recap
In the bottom of the first inning, McKenzie Bump singled to lead off the inning and scored on a first-and-third play that was flawlessly executed by UK as Ally Hutchins took second and Bump scored. UK 1, UE 0
In the bottom of the fourth, Delani Sullivan hammered a ball through the left side to score Anna Mauck from second and Bump had a hard-hit RBI groundout to the right side to plate Emory Donaldson. UK 3, UE 0
After a one-out single by Lauryn Borzilleri and a Peyton Plotts single, Emory Donaldson doubled into centerfield to score a pair of runs and Bump added another run on a single up the middle. UK 6, UE 0
Karissa Hamilton hit an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth inning and Emory Donaldson walked off the game with a sacrifice fly to right center to win the game. FINAL – Kentucky 8, Evansville 0
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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