Rethlake Hurls Shutout as No. 20 Kentucky Clinches Series

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Behind a complete-game shutout from junior pitcher Erin Rethlake, and multi-hit games from Abbey Cheek, Bailey Vick and Katie Reed, the No. 20 Kentucky softball team clinched a road series win for the first time this season, beating Missouri 4-0. 

The complete-game shutout for Rethlake is her second of the season as she moves to 7-2 on the season in the circle for the Wildcats and drops her ERA to 1.47. Rethlake threw 120 pitches and struck out four, including a strikeout of Rylee Pierce to end the game with the bases loaded. 

With the win, Kentucky clinches the series win and will go for a sweep tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET from the Mizzou Softball Stadium in Columbia. UK is now 29-13 overall and is 8-9 in Southeastern Conference games this season. The Tigers fall to 27-20 overall and 5-11 in the SEC. Tomorrow’s game will be shown live on the SEC Network+, ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app. 

One. Erin Rethlake allowed just one hit to Mizzou through the first six innings. The Tigers got two singles in the seventh, but Rethlake got a strikeout swinging to end the game with the bases loaded and the tying run at the plate. 

With the bases loaded and the tying run at the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning – Erin Rethlake got Rylee Peirce to strikeout swinging to end the game.

Katie Reed was the key player for the Wildcats, going 2-for-4 with two singles an RBI and scoring the game-winning run in the first inning.

Katie Reed and Bailey Vick led off the game with singles – and were moved into scoring position with one out for Breanne Ray. Ray then hit a SAC fly to deep left to score Reed from third and move Vick from second to third. Abbey Cheek then singled with two outs to score Vick and make it a 2-0 game in the top of the first inning. UK 2, MIZ 0

In the top of the fifth, Erin Rethlake doubled for the second time in the game with one out, and was brought home on a Katie Reed RBI single. UK 3, MIZ 0

In the top of the sixth, Abbey Cheek belted a home run over the left field berm on the first pitch of the inning from Madi Norman. FINAL – No. 20 Kentucky 4, Missouri 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.