Hallie Mitchell’s Two Bombs Walk Off No. 20 Ole Miss on Friday
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Senior catcher Hallie Mitchell had her moment Friday night as she launched her first two career Southeastern Conference home runs, including a three-run shot in the bottom of the ninth inning to walk off Kentucky’s first win versus a ranked opponent Friday night in a 9-6 win over No. 20 Ole Miss at John Cropp Stadium.
After a lead-off strikeout in the bottom of the ninth, Cassie Reasner reached on an error by Rebels and advanced to second. Peyton Plotts was intentionally walked to set the stage for Mitchell with the winning run in scoring position and one out. Mitchell then took a 1-1 pitch and crushed it to straight-away center for her second home run of the night to win the game for Kentucky, 9-6 as both Reasner and Plotts scored on the round tripper, her second-career SEC home run.
Sarah Haendiges picked up the win in the circle for Kentucky as she retired the last 12 batters she faced in order with a pair of strikeouts on 70 total pitches. Haendiges got Kentucky out of a bases-loaded no-out jam after an infield miscue that loaded things up for the Rebels in a 6-5 game. Haendiges then shut the door, only allowing one run and throwing a perfect six-up, six-down in the two extra innings to win the game for the Wildcats as she improved her record to 6-2 on the season.
Kentucky all in all had none runs on eight hits with three errors for the night. Ole Miss scored six runs, four of them earned on eight hits with one error. Game two of the series is slated for 2 p.m. ET on Saturday at John Cropp Stadium with the game broadcasted on SEC Network+ by Dave Baker and Carol Bruggeman on the call from JCS.
The win Friday night for Kentucky bumps its season record to 20-10 overall on the year and a game above .500 in the SEC at 4-3. The No. 20 Rebs suffer just their fifth loss of the season to move to 25-5 on the season and they sit .500 at 2-2 in league action.
Key Play
Hallie Mitchell’s walk-off three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning was the key play in the game to send the Wildcat fans home happy.
Key Player
The key player was also Hallie Mitchell, who went 3-for-4 in the game with three runs scored and five RBI, all new career highs for the Forsythe, Illinois native senior.
Super Stat
This was Kentucky’s first extra-inning game of the season and UK’s first seven-inning walk-off win of the year, as well.
Run Recap
An early sac fly in the top of the first put the Rebels ahead. OM 1, UK 0
The Rebels then got an RBI double by Persy Llamas in the top of the third to double their lead. OM 2, UK 0
Allie Blum hammered a three-run, go-ahead bomb off the videoboard in left field in the bottom of the fourth to score herself with Karissa Hamilton and Hallie Mitchell, who both were hit by pitches to reach base. UK 3, OM 2
In the bottom of the fifth, Hallie Mitchell hit the first of her two home runs to give UK a three-run cushion after Peyton Plotts hammered an RBI double down the line in left. UK 6, OM 2
Ole Miss loaded the bases with no outs and tied the game off a Kentucky error in the top of the sixth. UK 6, OM 6
After nobody scored in the seventh or eighth innings, Hallie Mitchell walked it off with a game-ending home run to center. FINAL – Kentucky 9, Ole Miss 6
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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