EUGENE, Ore. – The No. 16 Kentucky softball team exploded for nine runs on 10 hits against the best pitching staff in the Pac-12 to take Game One of the 2018 Eugene Super Regional 9-6 over the No. 1 Oregon Ducks on Thursday night, May 24 at Jane Sanders Stadium in Eugene.

With the Game One win, UK is now just one game away from the 2018 Women’s College World Series. The second game of this best-of-three series will be on Friday night at 11 p.m. ET live on ESPN2 with Mark Neely and Danielle Lawrie on the call.

Kentucky scored three runs in the top of the first inning and didn’t look back, scoring nine runs in the game. UK has now scored eight runs or more in all four of its NCAA Tournament games this season, and has plated 37 runs in 23 innings of postseason softball.

Abbey Cheek hit two home runs in the game, going 2-for-3 on the night with five RBI, two home runs and a walk. Her home run in the fourth inning was a three-run shot, which was followed by a two-run homer in the top of the sixth.

This is Kentucky’s first time ever winning game one of a Super Regional. The Wildcats were 0-5 all-time before that.

UK Athletics Photo by Noah J. Richter