Prince Sets Career High in Strikeouts in Homecoming Win

MARTIN, Tenn. – Senior pitcher Meagan Prince struck out a career-high 14 batters in a complete game winning performance in front of a Bettye Giles Field record crowd of 731 people in her hometown of Martin, Tennessee, as the No 18 Kentucky softball team beat the UT-Martin Skyhawks, 8-2. 

Prince threw her 12th complete game of the season on Wednesday night allowing just two runs on six hits, walking four and striking out a career-high 14 batters. She needed just 127 pitches to get through the game and now has an ERA of 1.52 for the season. 

With the win, Kentucky has now won six games in a row and sits 19 games over the .500 mark with a 32-13 overall record. UT-Martin falls to 32-15 on the season with the loss on Wednesday night. UK will get a day off before returning to Southeastern Conference play on Friday night at 6 p.m. ET against No. 3 Texas A&M at John Cropp Stadium in Lexington. The game will be shown live on the SEC Network+, ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app. 

14. Meagan Prince’s 14 strikeouts were the key to the game, as she struck out every batter in the UTM batting order at least one time.

Kentucky took a 3-2 lead in the top of the sixth, and then Rachael Metzger hit a solo home run over the wall in deep center into a stiff breeze to give UK a two-run lead at 4-2. 

Meagan Prince was the key player in the game with the 16th win of the season for her to move her record to 16-6 in 2017. 

Kentucky struck first in the top of the second as Alex Martens led off the inning with a walk and pinch runner Brynlee Bigelow scored on a double steal from third base after Brooklin Hinz was tried out trying to get to second. UK 1, UTM 0

UT Martin took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third inning with a two-run single when the bases were loaded with two outs from Jodie Duncan. UTM 2, UK 1

Kentucky tied the game in the fourth inning Erin Rethlake hit an RBI single to the left side with the bases loaded and two outs. Martens scored from third on the play, after leading off the inning with a single up the middle. UK 2, UTM 2

In the top of the sixth, Kentucky took the lead for good with two runs. Martens walked with one out and then Ray singled to the right side to put to on with one out. Cheek came home to score as Ray was caught in an alert rundown trying to steal second – and Cheek scored from third. Rachael Metzger then hit her eighth home run of the year to center to make it 4-2. UK 4, UTM 2

In the top of the seventh, UK put the game to bed with four more runs. Erin Rethlake, Katie Reed and Bailey Vick all singled to start the inning and load the bases with nobody out. Jenny Schaper then lifted a fair ball to LF, which was dropped, scoring two runs. Cheek then hit into an RBI fielder’s choice and Ray singled to cap off the scoring. FINAL – No. 18 Kentucky 8, UT-Martin 2

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