Reed’s Three-Hit Day, Prince’s Solid Start Gives UK Opening Win

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The No. 20 Kentucky softball team got three hits from sophomore Missourian Katie Reed and a great outing in the circle from senior pitcher Meagan Prince to take the series opener against Missouri, 4-2 on Friday night. 

With the win, Kentucky improves to 28-13 overall and picks up its seventh Southeastern Conference win and is now 7-9 in SEC action this season. Missouri falls to 27-19 overall and drops to 5-10 in SEC play this season. The Wildcats and Tigers will tangle for game two of the series on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. ET at Mizzou Softball Stadium. The game will be shown live on the SEC Network+, ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app. 

Prince got her 15th win on the season in the circle for UK, as she went the distance allowing just two runs on six hits, walking three and striking out five in the game. Prince moves to 15-6 overall on the season and has now won three games in a row in the circle – allowing two runs or less in all three games. 

Eight. Kentucky had eight hits in the game, including two doubles from sophomore Katie Reed. The eight hits are the second-highest offensive output hitting-wise in SEC play this season for the Wildcats.

With two on and two outs in the top of the fifth inning – Breanne Ray lifted a popout to shallow CF – and the ball was dropped by the Missouri defender to score two runs. The runs made it 4-0 and were the two deciding runs of the game.

Katie Reed was the key player of the game, going 3-for-4 at the plate. It marked her second three-hit day in the box in her last three SEC games – as she also went 3-for-4 against No. 1 Florida last Saturday in a 5-1 win over the Gators. 

In the top of the second inning – Kentucky got back-to-back lead-off walks from Sarah Rainwater and Bailey Vick to put two on with nobody out. Katie Reed then doubled into shallow CF to score them both and give UK a 2-0 lead. UK 2, MIZ 0

In the top of the fifth inning, the Wildcats scored two more runs on a Missouri fielding error. Alex Martens reached on a fielders choice and Abbey Cheek singled before Breanne Ray stepped to the plate with two outs. She then popped to shallow CF and the Missouri defender dropped the ball, allowing two to score. UK 4, MIZ 0

Riley Pierce homered on the first pitch of the bottom of the sixth inning to scored Missouri’s first run of the game. UK 4, MIZ 1

In the bottom of the seventh, the lead-off batter walked and came around to score on a double to right by Brittany Mack. Prince then got Braxton Burnside to pop out to Brooklin Hinz in shallow left to end the game. FINAL – No 20 Kentucky 4, Missouri 2

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