University of Tennessee Athletics
Friday, April 14
Lexington, Ky.
6:30 p.m.
University of Tennessee
32-5, 11-2
2
at
1
Kentucky
25-11-1, 7-5
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
R
H
E
Tennessee
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
2
6
1
Kentucky
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
3
0
Lair Beautae Plates Both Tennessee Runs, UT Wins 2-1 at Kentucky
April 14, 2023 | Softball
LEXINGTON, Ky. – No. 6 Tennessee emerged victorious Friday night at John Cropp Stadium, winning 2-1 over No. 16 Kentucky in extra innings.
Tennessee (32-5, 11-2 SEC) scattered six hits over eight innings with sophomore Lair Beautae leading the charge as she went 3-for-4 at the plate. The second baseman drove in a pair of RBIs and scored once. Rylie West picked up two hits, while Kiki Milloy picked up one.
Graduate pitcher Ashley Rogers got the start and went the distance for UT, striking out 11 over eight frames, walking three and allowing just three hits. With the win, the righty is now 13-1 on the year.
Kentucky (25-11-1, 7-6 SEC) also received a solid outing in the circle as Alexia Lacatena tossed a complete game for the Wildcats. She threw 113 pitches with two runs, both earned, six hits and six strikeouts as opposed to one walk. She took the loss and is 9-4 in 2023.
Scoreless through three, Beautae hit a leadoff homer – her third of the season – in the fourth to open the scoring as she gave UT a 1-0 lead.
UK hit back in the fifth with a leadoff home run of its own off the bat of Taylor Ebbs – tying the game at 1-1.
Playing its second extra-inning ball game this season, Beautae pushed across the game-winning run as she laid a squeeze bunt down the third base line to plate pinch runner Brylee Mesusan from third.
Kentucky put two runners on in the bottom of the eighth, but Rogers held firm and locked down the win for Tennessee.
UP NEXT
Tennessee and Kentucky will play game two of the series on Saturday, beginning at noon ET on SEC Network.
Tennessee (32-5, 11-2 SEC) scattered six hits over eight innings with sophomore Lair Beautae leading the charge as she went 3-for-4 at the plate. The second baseman drove in a pair of RBIs and scored once. Rylie West picked up two hits, while Kiki Milloy picked up one.
Graduate pitcher Ashley Rogers got the start and went the distance for UT, striking out 11 over eight frames, walking three and allowing just three hits. With the win, the righty is now 13-1 on the year.
Kentucky (25-11-1, 7-6 SEC) also received a solid outing in the circle as Alexia Lacatena tossed a complete game for the Wildcats. She threw 113 pitches with two runs, both earned, six hits and six strikeouts as opposed to one walk. She took the loss and is 9-4 in 2023.
Scoreless through three, Beautae hit a leadoff homer – her third of the season – in the fourth to open the scoring as she gave UT a 1-0 lead.
UK hit back in the fifth with a leadoff home run of its own off the bat of Taylor Ebbs – tying the game at 1-1.
Playing its second extra-inning ball game this season, Beautae pushed across the game-winning run as she laid a squeeze bunt down the third base line to plate pinch runner Brylee Mesusan from third.
Kentucky put two runners on in the bottom of the eighth, but Rogers held firm and locked down the win for Tennessee.
UP NEXT
Tennessee and Kentucky will play game two of the series on Saturday, beginning at noon ET on SEC Network.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Rogers, Ashley (13-1)
L: Lacatena, A (9-4)
Batting:
HR: Beautae, Lair 1
RBI: Beautae, Lair 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Beautae, Lair 1 ; Mesusan, Brylee 1
SB: Donihoo, Mackenzie 1
Batting:
HR: Ebbs, T 1
RBI: Ebbs, T 1
SH: Nesby, V 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Ebbs, T 1
SB: Tobias, M 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
2
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
C/OF
/ SoftballSB | Tennessee Postgame vs. Nebraska (5.25.25)
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