Blum’s Cranks Third Homer as Kentucky Clinches SEC Series Win
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Freshman Allie Blum hit her third-career home run in the bottom of the fourth inning and freshman pitcher Julie Kelley earned her first-career win in the circle Saturday afternoon as the No. 23 Kentucky Softball team clinched the series against Missouri with a 5-4 win over the Tigers at John Cropp Stadium.
Blum cranked out the third longball of her freshman campaign to make things 5-1 in the bottom of the fourth inning as Kentucky took a game-high four-run lead. The Tigers stormed back with a three spot in the top of the fifth on a three-run home run of their own, but Julie Kelley, Carson Fall and Sarah Haendiges, all newcomers to the Kentucky rotation, closed the door on the Tigers with zeros in the sixth and seventh.
Ally Hutchins went 3-for-3 in the five spot Saturday afternoon, scoring a pair of runs and launching her fourth home run of the season to lead off the bottom of a three-run fourth for the Kentucky offense. Cassie Reasner, who homered in Friday night’s win over the Tigers, hammered a two-run shot in the bottom of the second inning to give Kentucky the 2-1 lead early on. Hutchins, Reasner and a two-hit day for Lauryn Borzilleri combined for seven of UK’s eight hits in the contest.
Haendiges came in for the top of the sixth inning and got UK out of a two-on, two-out jam, and then did the same in the top of the seventh inning with a strikeout looking to Tigers leadoff batter, Julia Crenshaw.
With the win Saturday, UK is now 16-6 on the season, a year-high 10 games over the .500 mark and sits 2-0 in league play. The Tigers are now 11-12 in 2025 and are 0-2 in the SEC. The three-game Southeastern Conference series wraps up Sunday at 4:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network with Alex Perlman and Maddie Shipman on the call from Lexington.
Key Play
Allie Blum’s two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning was the key play in the game, as it put Kentucky up 5-1 and eventually was the winning run in the end.
Key Player
Julie Kelley was the key player in the game, earning her first SEC win in the circle as she went 3.1 innings, allowing only three runs on six hits facing 17 batters. Kelley is now 3-1 on the year with Saturday’s result.
Super Stat
- Kentucky used four pitchers in the game Saturday and came out with the 5-4 win.
Run Recap
Missouri scored on an RBI base hit in the top of the second inning to scratch first. MIZ 1, UK 0
In the bottom of the second, Ally Hutchins singled into left and scored on Cassie Reasner’s sixth home run of the season. UK 2, MIZ 1
In the bottom of the fourth, Ally Hutchins led off the inning with a solo home run to push the lead to a crooked number and then Allie Blum demolished a ball over the scoreboard in LF to score herself and Reasner to give UK the four-run lead. UK 5, MIZ 1
The Tigers hit a three-run home run in the top of the fifth. FINAL – Kentucky 5, Mizzou 4
The Kentucky Softball Designated Players Club
The Designated Players is the Official Booster Program of Kentucky Softball. Financial contributions and community support through The Designated Players program, Kentucky Softball will be able to continue to develop our student-athletes on and off the field. To join The Designated Players, you can join online or click here to download the membership form and mail to the address listed. For more information, email Kristine Himes at kentuckysoftball@uky.edu or Larry Cash at Larry.Cash@uky.edu.
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