Donaldson’s Career Day Sends Kentucky to 10-2 Win Over UCSB
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Thanks to a 3-for-3 day at the plate including her first-career home run from Emory Donaldson, the Kentucky Softball team knocked off UC Santa Barbara 10-2 in five innings Tuesday afternoon.
With the win, Kentucky improves to 5-1 to start the 2026 season and now has two-consecutive run-rule wins with UK beating Minnesota 8-0 on Sunday in San Deigo. Donaldson was one of three players for Kentucky to have multiple hits in the game as Maddy Clark had two hits and Carly Sleeman had two hits, as well as UK notched 10 for the contest, as well.
Sarah Haendiges picked up her second win of the year in the circle, going the opening 3.2 innings allowing two runs on four hits with two walks and three strikeouts. McKenzie Oslanzi then came in relief to get the final four outs without surrendering a run and not allowing a hit and striking out one.
Kentucky will now make the short trip up the California Coastline to Palo Alto, where it will play in the Cardinal Classic over the weekend, a tournament that is hosted by Stanford. UK plays Stanford and Cal State Fullerton on Thursday, Oregon on Friday and then closes out the event with games against Oregon and Cal Poly.
Run Recap
In the top of the first inning, Emory Donaldson led off the inning with a single up the gut and scored on a loopy single from Karissa Hamilton. UK 1, UCSB 0
In the top of the seconding inning, Kentucky scored four time, as Allie Blum legged out an infield play that the Gauchos misfed to plate a pair of runs and then a passed ball on the next pitch allowed two more runs to score on a throwing error in addition to the passed ball. UK 5, UCSB 0
Emory Donaldson homered in her third AB of the game in the top of the fourth inning to left field. It was her first-career home run and put UK up by seven runs. UK 7, UCSB 0
UCSB scored on an RBI double in the bottom of the fourth inning off the left field-wall. UK 7, UCSB 0
Kentucky loaded the bases with no out in the top of the fifth, and Maddy Clark banged a two-run double off the wall in LF and Ella Emmert had a groundball to the right side to score the tenth run. FINAL – Kentucky 10, UCSB 0
Key Player
Emory Donaldson was the key player of the game, going 3-for-3 with a home run, two singles, three runs scored and a pair of RBI. Donaldson also made a great catch in the third-base foul territory to end the bottom of the Gaucho third inning.
Key Moment
McKenzie Oslanzi came in and got an inning-ending strikeout in the Gaucho bottom of the fourth to stop the momentum UCSB had and keep the Cats in front, 7-2.
Key Stat
1. Kentucky had no errors in the game.
Pitching Recap
Sarah Haendiges picked up her second win of the year in the circle, going the opening 3.2 innings allowing two runs on four hits with two walks and three strikeouts. McKenzie Oslanzi then came in relief to get the final four outs without surrendering a run and not allowing a hit and striking out one.
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