Kentucky softball moves to 7-1 after sweep in San Diego

While basketball rules the day back east, the University of Kentucky softball team is off to a fast start out west.

The Wildcats swept a pair of 5-1 victories on Thursday, first beating the University of San Diego and then San Diego State at the Campbell/Cartier Classic in San Diego, Calif.

Eighteenth-ranked Kentucky (7-1) plays No. 22 California (3-1) at 5 p.m. EST on Friday and South Dakota (0-5) and Texas Tech (3-2) at noon and 2:30 p.m., respectively, on Saturday to close out play in the Classic.

In the first of Thursday’s two games, junior Shannon Smith started in the circle for Kentucky, pitching two scoreless innings and striking out four of the eight batters she faced against San Diego (2-4). Coach Rachel Lawson then turned to senior ace Kelsey Nunley, who went the rest of the game without allowing an earned run on two hits and five strikeouts. Nunley improved to 4-0 with an ERA of 0.97 four outings this season.

Against the host Aztecs (3-3), freshman Katie Reed hit the first two home runs of her career, and sophomore Brooklin Hinz hit her second home run of the season. Junior pitcher Meagan Prince went the distance, picking up her third win of the season, allowing seven hits, one earned run, striking out five and walking one.

Box score: Kentucky vs. San Diego

Box score: Kentucky vs. San Diego State

This story was originally published February 19, 2016 at 12:09 PM with the headline "Kentucky softball moves to 7-1 after sweep in San Diego."