Offense Silenced and Defense Sluggish in Run-Rule Loss

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The No. 20 Kentucky softball team only managed two hits and committed a season-high tying four errors in a run-rule loss to the No. 17 Tennessee Volunteers in the opening game of a three-game set in Lexington. 

Game two will be on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. ET from John Cropp Stadium. The action will also be shown live on the SEC Network+, ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app with Dave Baker and Ginny Carroll calling the game. 

With the loss, Kentucky falls to 24-9 on the season and dips to .500 in Southeastern Conference play with a 5-5 league record. Tennessee wins its 12th game in a row to move to 33-5, 7-3 SEC. It is Kentucky’s first run-rule loss in over a calendar year. 

Four. Kentucky committed four errors in the game for the third time this season. 

Scarlet McSwain hit a bases-clearing double in the top of the third inning to push the Vols up 5-0. 

The key player in the game for Kentucky was Breanne Ray, who had Kentucky’s only hit through four innings. 

After an error allowed the lead-off runner on, Tennessee got back-to-back singles in the top of the first from Brooke Vines and Meagan Gregg to put the Vols up, 2-0. UT 2, UK 0

In the top of the third, two more Kentucky errors combined with a HBP and three walks allowed the Vols to score three more runs. UT 5, UK 0

Tennessee would score four runs in the top of the fourth inning after Meagan Prince was taken out of the game, and UK pitching allowed three walks, committed an error, and Tennessee stringing together three hits. FINAL – No. 17 Tennessee 9, No 20 Kentucky 0

For the latest on the Kentucky softball team, follow @UKSoftball on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, as well as on the web at UKathletics.com.