Kentucky Softball finishes 3-1 in annual John Cropp Classic
What a weekend for UK Athletics. Teams all across campus got it done with big wins this weekend, including your No. 10 Kentucky softball team. The Wildcats made their home debut this weekend in the annual John Cropp Classic, where they went 3-1. The Wildcats are now 16-2 on the season.
THURSDAY
Though it was a good weekend overall, Thursday was a bit tough. The ‘Cats began the tournament with a matchup against the No. 19 Michigan Wolverines.
This one was all Michigan from the first pitch. The Wolverines struck early with three runs in the top of the second inning. Starting Kentucky pitcher Stephanie Schoonover struck out her first two batters, but couldn’t find that last one. She gave up a walk and a single, leading to Michigan’s first score. The Wolverines added two more just minutes later thanks to a Kristina Kurkhardt double to left field.
Michigan’s Lauren Esman hit a solo homer to right-field in the top of the sixth, marking her second of the season. A Kentucky error allowed two more runs to cross home later in the inning, extending the Wolverine lead to 6-0. Michigan added two more in the seventh off a two-RBI single, giving us our final score of 8-0.
The Kentucky offense was totally silenced by Michigan ace Alex Storako. The senior from Illinois recorded 12 strikeouts in her seven innings pitched and gave up just two hits. Storako, the unanimous 2021 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, faced just 22 batters. She is 9-0 on the season.
As bad as their offensive struggles were, the defense was a bit out of sorts as well. The ‘Cats ended with four errors, leading to five of Michigan’s eight runs.
FRIDAY
Friday looked a lot better. The ‘Cats started the doubleheader with a game against the Drake University Bulldogs. Drake scored first after a walk and a pair of singles in the opening inning to take a slim 1-0 lead. It wouldn’t last long, though. After the ‘Cats loaded the bases in the bottom half of the inning, Taylor Ebbs hit a two-RBI up the middle to give UK the lead.
The ‘Cats expanded the lead to 4-1 in the second thanks to some Bulldog miscues. Drake added another in the third, but the ‘Cats answered with two RBI singles from Kayla Kowalik and Alexia Lacatena to push the lead to four. Drake battled back in the final two innings, but a three-RBI homer from WKU transfer Kennedy Sullivan proved to be the final nail in the Bulldog coffin. Kentucky took the first game 10-5.
Just 30 minutes later, the ‘Cats took the field again for a rematch with Michigan — and this one looked much better. Michigan got started early once again with a pair of doubles to take a quick 1-0 lead. Miranda Stoddard and the Kentucky defense would not be shaken, though. They ended the inning with no further damage.
Kayla Kowalik led off with a double down the left-field line. Just minutes later Lauren Johnson executed a perfect bunt turned Michigan error to score Kowalik from second. A deep homer from Kennedy Sullivan minutes later gave Kentucky the lead, which they would not give it up.
Miranda Stoddard wanted to show that she could get things done on both sides of home plate, so she hit her own first-pitch grand slam bomb in the third. Stoddard boasts just a .154 batting average, but you wouldn’t have known it. It was her second homer of the season.
Both teams added one more in the fifth. The ‘Cats pushed another across in the bottom of the sixth to give them a solid 9-2 lead that Michigan would not be able to cut into.
SATURDAY
Kentucky ended the weekend against the Kent State Golden Flashes. Kent State struck first with a solo homer in the top of the second, but that is as good as it would get for the Golden Flashes. Taylor Ebbs hit one of her own in the bottom of the inning to tie the game. Kentucky took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third and they would keep it until the end.
The ‘Cats poured it on in the bottom of the fourth. Kennedy Sullivan, Renee Abernathy and Emmy Blane all had RBI hits in the inning. That, coupled with a Kent State error, allowed UK to score five runs and take a commanding 7-1 lead.
Jaci Babbs reached home in the fifth to tack on another. Lauren Johnson ended the game with a walk-off single into right-field to score Margaret Tobias in the sixth. Kentucky won 9-1 in six innings thanks to the run-rule.
Freshman pitcher Izzy Harrison got the start from the mound in the finale. Harrison went six innings allowing just one earned run and striking out ten batters. It was her first-career win with the Wildcats.
With the win, UK earned half of the tournament title (the other half going to Michigan). The ‘Cats are now 16-2 on the season through four weekends of play.
Kentucky will co-host the Bluegrass Classic with Louisville next weekend at John Cropp Stadium, where they’ll welcome Valpo, Buffalo and Central Michigan. First pitch for Friday’s opener against Buffalo is set for 4 p.m. You can watch the game on SEC Network+.
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