LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University softball team (25-21, 7-11 ASUN) battled in its final midweek clash of the 2023 season but fell to No. 24 Kentucky by a score of 10-2 in five innings on Wednesday night at John Cropp Stadium.
 
Pertee led EKU going a perfect 2-for-2 from the plate with a solo home run in the third inning, her eighth of the season.
 
Lexington native Rylie Grantz ended the day going 2-of-3 from the seven hole in her return to her hometown.
 
Sophomore pitcher Lauren Narvaez (13-15) earned the loss tossing 4.1 innings allowing seven hits and five earned runs.
 
EKU jumped the Wildcats in the top of the first as Jasmine Miller single up the middle scoring Jeanay Riley who walked for the early 1-0 lead. UK responded with a crooked number in the bottom half of the inning, plating three off a leadoff homer two singles and two walks.
 
UK padded its lead to 4-1 in the second as Kayla Kowalik doubled to left field scoring the leadoff batter Erin Coffel.
 
Pertee brought the Colonels to a two-run deficit in the top of the third with a long ball to left field. EKU ended the frame with an additional two walks and a single, failing to get the runners in as the score stood, 4-2.
 
After EKU narrowed the gap, Narvaez kept the visiting team in the game after forcing the Wildcats into three groundouts to end the third. For the second inning in a row the Colonels advanced runners to scoring position off a Riley single and Pertee double, EKU's opportunity ended after UK made a pitching change with two outs to close the frame.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, the nationally ranked Wildcats plated six runs off four hits and an error to invoke the eight-run mercy rule after five. 
 
Despite the 10-2 final score, EKU tallied seven hits to UK's eight. With three walks in Wednesday's contest, EKU has recorded 21 walks in its last three games, its highest total in a three-game span in over two seasons.
 
EKU returns to action over the weekend for a crucial ASUN Conference series at Lipscomb. The Colonels are scheduled for a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET with the series finale falling on Sunday at noon ET.