Nunley’s Complete Game Shutout Lifts Kentucky Past No. 8 LSU

Box Score (PDF)

BATON ROUGE, La. – With two outs in the top of the seventh inning and the bases loaded in a scoreless game, senior Sylver Samuel laced a single into centerfield to score the game-winning run as the No. 15 Kentucky softball team beat the No. 8 LSU Tigers at Tiger Park in Baton Rouge, La., in front of a national ESPN television audience on Saturday afternoon.

Kelsey Nunley was magical in the circle for Kentucky all afternoon, throwing a complete game shutout, allowing just five hits while walking three and striking out six batters. With the win, Nunley moves to 14-4 on the season.

Kentucky with the win picks up its 32nd win of the season to move to 32-8 overall on the year and stays a game and a half out of first, with a 9-4 Southeastern Conference record – to move into sole possession of third place between Auburn and Florida.

Carley Hoover suffered a tough-luck loss for LSU, going seven innings, only allowing one hit and striking out 10 UK batters.

The three-game series continues this weekend in Baton Rouge on Sunday night at 7 p.m. ET live on the SEC Network. Women’s College World Series announcing team Adam Amin and Amanda Scarbrough will have the call from Tiger Park.

Key Stat

One. Kentucky just needed one run to pick up the win on Saturday afternoon – marking the third time this year the UK has won a 1-0 game. Kelsey Nunley also picked up a 1-0 win over No. 20 Utah, and Erin Rethlake and Nunley split a 1-0 win over Marshall earlier in March.

Key Play

Sylver Samuel’s two out single up the middle was the key play in the game, pushing across the game-winning run in the seventh.

Key Player

Kelsey Nunley was the key player in the game, throwing as the senior threw a complete-game shutout.

Run Recap

UK got two all of its seventh inning baserunners on without a hit, as the Wildcats made things happen in the box in its last at-bat of the game. After a groundout by Christian Stokes to start the inning, Brooklin Hinz was hit by a pitch and a walk to Breanne Ray moved the runners to first and second with one out. Jenny Schaper lined to second base on a fantastic diving play by second basemen Constance Quinn.  Maisie Steed was hit by a pitch as well to load the bases with two outs.

Samuel then stepped to the plate with two strikes and roped a single back up the middle into centerfield to score Ansley Smith, who was pinch running for Hinz – and that was the game-winning run. FINAL – No. 15 Kentucky 1, No. 8 LSU 0

For the latest on the Kentucky softball team, follow @UKSoftball on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, as well as on the web at UKathletics.com