Kentucky softball shut out in NCAA opener, will try to avoid elimination Saturday

Kentucky’s softball team took a 4-0 loss to Northwestern in its opening game in an NCAA Tournament regional on Friday in Clemson, South Carolina.

UK (29-27) will need a win on Saturday against USC Upstate, which lost 10-2 to host Clemson, to avoid elimination.

Freshman Carson Fall made her first NCAA Tournament start and allowed two runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings against Northwestern. Sarah Haendiges gave up two runs the rest of the way.

Peyton Plotts had two of Kentucky’s six hits. UK, seeded second in the regional, left six runners on base.

Northwestern, the regional’s 3 seed, scored its first two runs on a double by Kansas Robinson in the fifth inning.

Northwestern will play the Clemson at 1:30 p.m. EDT Saturday, with Kentucky’s game against USC Upstate following at approximately 4 p.m.

This story was originally published May 16, 2025 at 6:45 PM.