Lexington, Ky. ? Harli Ridling’s two-run home run — her eighth homer of the season — in the seventh gave Kansas University the lead, and the Jayhawks held on for a 7-5 nonconference softball victory over No. 8-ranked Kentucky on Sunday.

Ridling finished 2-for-4 with a run and four RBIs.

The teams combined for 22 hits, 13 for extra bases.

Kansas (24-10) scored single runs in each the first and second innings, then added two more in the fifth for a 4-0 lead, but UK responded with a four-run sixth.

Taylor Hatfield went 3-for-4 with a run for the Jayhawks.

Pitcher Kelsey Kessler (14-7) won with two innings of relief of starter Alicia Pille. Kessler allowed two earned runs off two hits over two innings, with no walks and two strikeouts.

Pille allowed two earned runs off six hits over five innings, with four walks and six strikeouts.

Kansas will travel Wednesday to Wichita State.

Kansas 110 020 3 — 7 14 0

Kentucky 000 004 1 — 5 8 3

W — Kelsey Kessler, 14-7. L — Meagan Prince, 6-2.

2B — Chaley Brickey, Harli Ridling, Taylor Hatfield, Chanin Naudin, KU; Emily Gaines 2, Nikki Sagermann, Krystal Smith, Christian Stokes, UK. HR — Ridling, KU; Lauren Cumbess, Sagermann, Maisie Steed, UK.

Kansas highlights — Hatfield 3-for-4, R; Ridling 2-for-4, R, 4 RBIs; Ashley Newman 2-for-5, 2 R, RBI; Ketelyn Schumacher 2-for-4.