GAINESVILLE, Fla. – — For the first time since 2012, the No. 9 Kentucky softball team won a game at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium, beating the No. 5 Florida Gators 4-2 in nine innings on Sunday afternoon behind a spectacular game-saving catch and game-winning RBI from sophomore outfielder Rylea Smith and a sparkling performance in the circle from senior pitcher Autumn Humes.
Sunday marks the program’s third time beating a top-10 ranked Florida team in history and the first Southeastern Conference win on the season for UK, as the Wildcats salvaged a game from the series on SEC Opening Weekend.
Florida entered the bottom of the seventh inning trailing by a pair of runs, and scored twice as a lead-off home run and run-scoring wild pitch tied the game. Kentucky had a chance to score in the eighth and didn’t, but was able to plate two in the ninth on an RBI single by Rylea Smith and a Gator error.
Autumn Humes picked up the win in the circle to improve to 9-1 on the season. Humes was sensational all game, throwing 7.1 innings, allowing just two hits, two walks and striking out one. Humes did not allow a run in her 7.1 innings.
Kentucky is now 20-2 on the season and improves to 1-2 in SEC play. The Wildcats will return home to Lexington and will play a home game inside John Cropp Stadium for the first time all season Tuesday night, as UK welcomes Eastern Kentucky for a 6 p.m. ET game. Tickets are extremely limited, so fans interested in attending should look to purchase tickets now at UKathletics.com/tickets before supplies run out. The game will be broadcasted live on the SEC Network+, ESPN3 and the ESPN app with Dave Baker and Carol Bruggeman on the call from Lexington.
