No. 7 UK Softball loses to WKU in extra innings

The No. 7 Kentucky Softball team is now 23-3 on the season after a loss at in-state rival Western Kentucky University.

WKU found the scoreboard first on a Hilltopper homer in the first inning. The leadoff home run to left field came from redshirt senior Paige Carter, her sixth of the season so far.

LEADOFF #BigRedBomb 🔴💣 PAIGE CARTER! pic.twitter.com/VxqXKuayQv

— WKU Softball (@WKUSoftball) March 24, 2021

Kentucky entered the top of the seventh needing just one run to tie things up with the top of the order due. Kayla Kowalik tripled to left-center to get things started, leading to a Hilltopper pitching change. Freshman phenom Erin Coffel came up big again, scoring Kowalik off a sac-fly to tie the game. Since WKU couldn’t win it in the bottom of the seventh, the game went to extra innings tied at 1-1.

The ‘Cats got runners on base in the eighth and ninth inning, but couldn’t convert to points. WKU had another opportunity in the bottom of the ninth to end the game, and they took advantage of this one. A two-out RBI double from Kennedy Sullivan scored a WKU runner to end the game. The final score was 2-1.

SULLIVAN WALKS IT OFF AGAINST NO. 7 KENTUCKY! pic.twitter.com/aG7XjpxqQ4

— WKU Softball (@WKUSoftball) March 25, 2021

Though Kentucky’s offense typically has no trouble finding home plate, they had several missed opportunities tonight. The ‘Cats left 12 runners on base throughout the match, compared to WKU’s 9.

The Hilltoppers are off to a strong start to the 2021 season. They have won 15 of their first 19 games now after the win over Kentucky and appeared at No. 66 in the NCAA’s RPI released on Tuesday. Kentucky leads the all-time series with WKU 16-8 now.

The ‘Cats will look to bounce back this weekend with a conference series against the No. 4/3 Alabama Crimson Tide. The series at John Cropp Stadium is sold out but can be watched live on SEC Network +. First pitch on Saturday is scheduled for 2 p.m. and the series runs through Monday.