The Kentucky softball team dropped the rubber game of a Southeastern Conference series to No. 20 Auburn today, May 1, to fall to 20-38 on the year and 4-22 in SEC play. The Tigers improve to 47-14 overall and 21-8 in the league.

Auburn took the early lead as it plated a run in the top of the first. The Tigers had three singles off starter Samantha Allen to take the one run lead.

Amy Kendall relieved Allen in the third and gave up the second run of the game after a pair of singles. The Wildcat defense helped her out of a jam as she got a flyout to Jessica Nance in center. Nance nailed the runner at first to turn the inning-ending double play.

Kendall allowed the third Auburn run of the game in the fourth with a leadoff homerun to Paige Jones. Reliever Kristi Warneke walked the first batter she faced and erased that runner at second with a fielder?s choice. Warneke had the same fate as a flyball landed in Nance?s glove and the senior threw another strike to Meghan Cooper at first for 23rd UK double play of the season.

AU batted around in the seventh and put seven runs on the board to take a 10-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh.

Gina Florence led off the seventh with her second hit of the day, a single through the left side. Cooper lined to short and Florence was doubled up at first for the second out of the inning.

Florence went 2-for-2 with a double and a single. Katie Campbell added a single in three at-bats and Cooper singled in the loss. Ashley Fertic drew a base on balls, but Amber Janneck grounded to the third baseman to end the game as the Wildcats suffered their second straight shutout to the Tigers.

The Wildcats return to action next weekend as they wrap up the regular season against Florida, May 7-8, at the UK Softball Complex.