The Kentucky softball team bowed out of the Southeastern Conference Tournament on Thursday with a 6-2 loss to Florida at Fogle Park in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
The Wildcats (30-20-1) led 2-1 in the fourth inning, but the Gators (36-19) scored five runs in the final three innings to advance to the quarterfinals and will take on top-seeded Tennessee at 10 a.m. Friday.
Florida’s three-run outburst in the fifth inning helped the Gators grab the lead for good.
Kentucky collected eight hits off Florida pitcher Elizabeth Hightower, who earned the win. Meeko Harrison paced the Wildcats’ offense with a two-run home run on the fourth frame.
Kayla Kowalik and Grace Lorsung added two hits apiece for Kentucky.
Stephanie Schoonover threw the first four innings for Kentucky and scattered four hits and three runs, including two earned. Alexia Lacenta tossed the final two innings and have up five hits and three runs, all of which were earned.
Kentucky is expected to receive and at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament. The selection show is set for Sunday.
Tennis
The Kentucky men’s tennis team will host Stanford in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday in Lexington.
The Wildcats defeated Presbyterian in the opening round and survived a 4-3 thriller over Northwestern in the second round of the Big Dance last weekend in Lexington. Kentucky defeated Northwestern 4-2.
“After winning the doubles, I thought we were going to come out really well [in singles], but credit to Northwestern,” Kentucky coach Cedric Kauffmann said. “I thought for 30 minutes we were in big trouble, but those guys have grit. The longer the match goes, we know we are one of the best teams in the country in the last 10 minutes.”
Baseball
The Kentucky baseball team will take on Tennessee for a three-game series in its final Southeastern Conference series of the season Friday-Sunday in Knoxville.
The Wildcats (33-13, 14-10 SEC) will be looking to solidify a spot in the NCAA Tournament and could earned one of 16 host sites.
Tennessee is ranked No. 11, while the Wildcats are No. 15.