Humes’ Strong Effort, Smith’s RBI Send UK Into Winner’s Bracket

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Autumn Humes threw a complete game and allowed just one earned run as she helped catapult 14th-seeded Kentucky past Northwestern 3-2 in the opening round game of the 2021 NCAA Lexington Regional at John Cropp Stadium in Lexington.
 
Humes went the distance, allowing just two NU runs, one earned, walked one and struck out four as the Bald Knob, Arkansas native picked up her 21st win of the season in the circle. Additionally, Humes got it done at the plate, registering one of four of the Kentucky hits on the day. Humes threw just over 100 pitches and 76 for strikes on the afternoon.
 
The offensive MVP for Kentucky on Friday afternoon was Rylea Smith, who tied the game in the bottom of the second inning on an RBI single up the middle, and then gave Kentucky the lead on the following sequence at home plate, as Humes scored the game-winning run on an obstruction call.
 
Kentucky with the win advances into the winner’s bracket game on Saturday at Noon ET. The game will be shown on the ESPN Family of Networks in come capacity, with television and streaming assignments determined on Saturday morning. UK will play the winner of the Notre Dame/Miami (OH) game.
 
20. Kayla Kowalik’s hit streak got extended to 20 on Sunday afternoon, as she logged a single and a pair of doubles in the win.
 
Key Player
Renee Abernathy was the key player in the game, as her lead-off single in the bottom of the second set the tempo for the inning in which UK scored all three of its runs. Abernathy also hit the ball hard in her second at bat and recorded a pair of putouts in center field.
 
Key Play
The key play in the game was Rylea Smith’s RBI single up the middle in the bottom of the second inning to respond to the Northwestern run, and put UK on top of the first time in the game.
 
Run Recap
Northwestern scored first on a first-pitch home run in the top of the second inning. NU 1, UK 0
 
In the bottom of the second inning, Abernathy led off with a single, and Humes got on base thanks to a fielder’s choice with Abernathy beating the throw at second. A wild pitch advanced both runners into scoring position and Smith roped a two-strike pitch up the middle to score two runs at the plate. Kayla Kowalik then grounded out to the right side, as Smith scored in the inning to cross Kentucky’s third run of the inning.
 
In the top of the seventh, a two-out double by the Wildcats yielded a run on a throwing error, and a groundout to the circle ended the game. FINAL – Kentucky 3, Northwestern 2
 
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