Abernathy’s Six RBI, Walk-Off Grand Slam Delivers UK 11-3 Win
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Renee Abernathy tied the school record with six RBI in a game Friday night as she had a walk-off grand slam to help lift the No. 8 Kentucky Softball team to an 11-3 run-rule win over the No. 18 Auburn Tigers in six innings.
The senior from Springfield, Illinois opened and closed the scoring in the game Friday, launching a two-run double in the bottom of the first inning with runners on the corners and two outs before ending the game with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning with her seventh home run of the season on a grand slam to right center.
Kentucky with the win improves to 21-6 on the season and is .500 in league play for the first time this season at 2-2. Auburn suffers just its third loss of the season and is now 26-3. The Tigers are 5-2 in SEC play.
Game two of the series will be Saturday at 1 p.m. ET from John Cropp Stadium live on the SEC Network. Mike Couzens and former Alabama All-American Kayla Braud will have the call from Lexington. Tickets are available at UKathletics.com/tickets.
Freshman Alexia Lacatena and senior Tatum Spangler split the pitching duties Friday night in the win with Lacatena earning the win going 3.1 innings, allowing three runs on four hits. Spangler closed the door without allowing a run in the final 2.3 innings, striking out three batters and surrendering just three hits.
Key Play
The key play in the game was Meeko Harrison’s two-RBI double in the bottom of the third inning, which gave UK the 5-3 lead after Auburn rallied to tie the game at 3-3 in the top half of the inning. Harrison went 2-for-3 in the game in her first-career start for the Wildcats with a single, double and a pair of RBI.
Key Player
Rylea Smith went 4-for-4 in the game with a double and three singles in addition to an RBI and scoring a pair of runs. Smith was also clean in the outfield as she set a new career high for hits in a game at the plate with her four-hit night.
Key Stat
Renee Abernathy tying the school record with six RBI in the game was the key stat. Abernathy had her six RBI on two different hits, including a walk-off grand slam.
Run Recap
Kentucky scored in the bottom of the first on a two-run two-out double off the bat of Renee Abernathy to score Rylea Smith and Lauren Johnson who walked. UK 2, AU 0
Auburn’s Lindsey Garcia hit a solo HR in the top of the second inning. UK 2, AU 1
Kentucky answered back in the bottom of the second in an RBI single from Rylea Smith that brought home Meeko Harrison after a lead-off single from the Californian. UK 3, AU 1
In the top of the third, Auburn scored twice on a Nelia Peralta’s double. UK 3, AU 3
Meeko Harrison hit a one-out, two-RBI double to right to score Erin Coffel and Renee Abernathy in the bottom of the third as Kentucky went back in front. UK 5, AU 3
In the bottom of the fourth, Kentucky played Kayla Kowalik after a one-out single on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Lauren Johnson for her 21st RBI of the year. UK 6, AU 3
Jaci Babbs led off the bottom of the sixth with a single and scored on a wild pitch. The bases were then loaded thanks to a single by Smith, Johnson reaching on a fielder’s choice and walk to Erin Coffel. Abernathy ended the game on a first-pitch grand slam to right center to close the game. FINAL – #8 Kentucky 11, #18 Auburn 3 (F/6)
For the latest on UK Softball, follow the Wildcats on Twitter and Instagram at @UKSoftball.
