Northwestern Beats Kentucky 4-0 in NCAA Tournament Opener
CLEMSON, S.C. – The Northwestern Wildcats beat Kentucky 4-0 on Friday afternoon in the opening round of the 2025 NCAA Softball Championship’s Clemson Regional.
Kentucky will now play Saturday at approximately 4 p.m. ET against the loser of Clemson vs. USC Upstate in an elimination game.
Freshman Carson Fall pitched brilliantly in the game, as she earned her first-career NCAA Tournament start in the circle, going 4.2 innings allowing just two runs in the game on seven hits, as she more than held her own. Fall three just under 100 pitches with 67 recorded for strikes and walked just a pair of batters while striking out one. Sarah Haendiges then entered in relief for Kentucky and pitched the final 2.1 innings of the game to hold NU to four runs.
Peyton Plotts had two of Kentucky’s six hits Friday afternoon, as UK only had one at bat all game with a runner in scoring position that helped Lauryn Boyd for Northwestern throw a complete-game shutout in the opening game. Freshman Allie Blum also had a hit in the contest Friday, as she roped a single through the left side in the third inning to get one of UK’s largest scoring threats going.
UK is now 29-27 on the season. Northwestern with the win moves into the winner’s bracket and will play at 1:30 p.m. ET on Saturday against Clemson or USC Upstate.
Key Play
Northwestern’s Kansas Robinson hit a two-run double to break open the scoring in the top of the fifth inning on a double to the gap.
Key Player
Kentucky’s key player was Carson Fall, who had her best outing in seven weeks Friday afternoon, taking the tough-luck loss in the circle.
Super Stat
- UK left six runners on base.
Run Recap
NU got a lead-off single and scored two runs on a double with one out in the top of the fifth. NU 2, UK 0
In the top of the sixth, Northwestern scored twice on a two-out, two-RBI single through the left side that resulted in a Kentucky error to allow the second run to score. FINAL – Northwestern 4, Kentucky 0
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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