UK SOFTBALL: Wildcats Sweep NCAA Lexington Regional, Beat Notre Dame 8-0 Sunday

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The No. 16 nationally-seeded Kentucky softball team scored eight runs on eight hits Sunday afternoon, May 20, cruising past the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 8-0 to book a spot in this coming weekend’s NCAA Super Regionals. With Sunday’s win, UK sweeps play in Lexington for the second-straight year.

The Wildcats will be traveling out to Eugene, Oregon to face the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, Oregon for the Super Regional round.

Kentucky was dominant on Sunday, getting a complete-game shutout from Erin Rethlake in the circle, only allowing one hit and walking just two batters. All said – Kentucky allowed just one run all weekend in the regional, it was unearned. The UK staff surrendered just three hits and was only forced to throw 189 pitches.

Rachael Metzger broke open the game in the bottom of the fifth inning, with her second huge at bat of the weekend, clearing the bases with three RBI on a double with two outs and the bases loaded to put the Wildcats ahead, 7-0. Metzger hit her second-career grand slam against the Irish on Saturday night to put UK up 6-0 and on the weekend, went 2-for-2 at the plate with seven RBI.

Abbey Cheek closed out the Lexington Regional with her team-leading 16th home run of the season to left field – as the run rule was enforced and Kentucky walked off with an 8-0 win in the sixth inning.

UK Athletics Photo by Mark Mahan