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Rylea Smith - Softball - University of Kentucky Athletics 19

RyleaSmith

  • position Utility
  • class Freshman
  • Hometown St. Louis, Mo.
  • High school Parkway North HS
BIO Stats

2022 (Junior): Career-high 4 hits vs. Auburn in 4-for-4 game on March 25 … Hit .455 (5-11) in the LSU series with two runs scored and two RBI … SEC All-Newcomer Team (2021) … SEC Newcomer of the Week (3/30/21) … 2-hit day at Alabama, where she scored two runs in UK’s 9-4 win over the Tide.

2021 (Sophomore): SEC All-Newcomer Team (2021) … SEC Newcomer of the Week (3/30/21) … 10 multi-hit games this season, including three three-hit games … Game-winning hit vs. Northwestern to score two runs … Game-tying HR in the bottom of the seventh vs. #3 Alabama to complete the four-run comeback. She then won the game with a bases-loaded infield single in the bottom of the eighth to clinch the series in her next at bat … SC Top-10 catch vs. Florida in B7th to save game, and then won the game in T9th on RBI single into LF … Known for her triple-threat ability. Very fast, can slap, can hit for average, and launched her first-career HR on opening weekend vs. Samford … Struck out vs. Pitt on March 4 for the first time in 51-straight AB’s dating back to 2020

2020 (Freshman): Has scored 2+ runs in nine games this season … Tied the program record with four runs in a game on two different occasions this season … Walk-off RBI single in win over Texas State … Had six hits on opening weekend at the NFCA Lead-Off Classic, including an RBI in three of the four games and two stolen bases … Reached base safely in 18-straight games until 3/1/20 vs. Dartmouth, only failing to reach base in UK’s opening day contest – In that span, she had a 16-game hitting streak, and eight of those 16 games were multi-hit games … Has scored 2+ runs in eight games this season.

  • Conference Player of the Year for her high school
  • First team All-District, first team All-Region, second team All-State
  • Led her high school to a state championship in 2018 with a .526 batting average. She hit .500 and above in all four years.
  • Was also a track athlete in high school, winning All-State honors
  • Plans on majoring in International Studies or Modern and Classical Languages, Literature and Culture

Lawson on Smith:
“Rylea is the fastest player in this signing class. She’s a great utility player, but will most likely be slotted to be a part of our outfield. She is a true triple threat as she can both bunt and hit for power exceptionally well.”

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