Clemson knocks Kentucky softball out of 2025 NCAA Tournament regional

After winning two elimination games on Saturday, Kentucky softball’s 2025 season came to an end with a 5-1 loss to regional host Clemson on Sunday.

The Tigers, the No. 11 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, advanced through the region with three straight wins. Kentucky dropped its NCAA Tournament opener to Northwestern on Friday but beat South Carolina Upstate (11-0) and Northwestern (8-3) on the losers’ side of the double-elimination bracket on Saturday to earn a spot in the region final.

Needing to beat Clemson twice to advance to a super regional, Kentucky, playing as the home team Sunday, escaped a bases-loaded jam in the top of the second inning but fell behind on an RBI double from Clemson first baseman Julia Knowler in the third inning. The Tigers then added three more runs in the fourth inning with a two-run home run from right fielder Taylor Pipkins and an RBI double from second baseman Maddie Moore.

Kentucky plated its only run in the sixth inning when right fielder Peyton Plotts scored on a throwing error from the Clemson center fielder. Clemson returned the margin to four runs with a single run in the top of the seventh inning.

UK’s best chance to score earlier in the game came in the bottom of the third inning when the first two batters reached on bloop singles, but Plotts flew out to shallow left field and designated player Hallie Mitchell struck out with runners on second and third to end the threat.

Three straight groundouts to shortstop in the bottom of the seventh ended Kentucky’s hopes of prolonging its season.

Kentucky was playing in the NCAA Tournament for the 16th consecutive season (not including the 2020 season that was ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic) but has not reached the second weekend of the tournament since 2021. UK ends the season at 31-27.

This story was originally published May 18, 2025 at 4:20 PM.