RECAP: UK Softball sweeps Notre Dame on Sunday to advance to Super Regionals

by:Pranavdeep Singh•05/23/21•

SinghPranavdeep

(UK Athletics)

After a 12-3 blowout against Notre Dame yesterday, the Wildcats come out roaring today, winning both games against the Fighting Irish to advance to their 8th Super Regional in the program’s history. When asked how the team’s character helped them bounce back against Notre Dame, coach Rachel Lawson mentioned that “One of the reasons we’re so resilient is because the SEC makes you resilient.”

Defeating the Fighting Irish 7-0 in game one of the doubleheader, Kentucky came out swinging early with freshman Erin Coffel driving in catcher Kayla Kowalik for the first run of the game, followed up by Mallory Peyton continuing her dominance from yesterday with a double hit into the outfield to bring Coffel in, all happening in the 1st.

Autumn Humes was extremely efficient in her 22nd win of the season, totaling only 65 pitches throughout the shutout. She allowed only three hits, finishing the game with a 2.26 ERA. Coach Lawson brought up how she was able to dominate in the first game stating, “She is in total command, changing speed when she wanted to, creating matchup problems for them.”

She also managed to get a hit in four plate appearances. Also, check out this amazing double-play by the Kentucky defense to help Humes close out the 5th.

Kayla Kowalik scored two runs and drove in an RBI while going 1-2 with a double, while Renee Abernathy put the cherry on top of the 1st inning with a 2-run home run, finishing the game with two hits, two RBIs, and a run in four at-bats.

Tatum Spangler put the finishing touches on the game in the sixth with a solo home run as she finished the contest with two RBI’s and two hits in four plate appearances. Here are the full highlights from the first game.

When asked about how the team was able to put the blowout against Notre Dame on Saturday behind them, Autumn Humes said they just looked to move on, “We tried to forget every single thing that happened yesterday and start fresh, just because that wasn’t us, that wasn’t Kentucky softball, that wasn’t me on the mound. I don’t know who that was, but we really just tried to come back to ourselves, the way we play the game.”

For game two, Kentucky continued its dominance. After allowing 12 hits and 12 runs in their first matchup on Saturday, the ‘Cats have up only six total hits and zero runs in two games on Sunday.

Autumn Humes, the MVP of the first game with the shutout, managed to top that with a solo home run to left field in the bottom of the 2nd inning of game two. She went 2-2 in two at-bats with an RBI, a run scored, and the aforementioned home run. When asked about what meant more–the home run or her pitching performance in game one–she mentioned that “Both of them mean a lot to me, especially since this is the last time I’ll ever play here at John Cropp (Stadium), having those memories on this field is pretty awesome.”

Tatum Spangler accumulated two more hits and drove in another RBI, going 2-3 in three at-bats with a double. Renee Abernathy could not get a hit in the second game against Notre Dame but was able to bring in a SportsCenter Top 10 worthy catch in the outfield after her home run in game one.

Grace Baalman, the player of the game, pitched in 6.1 innings and allowed only one hit and one walk with two strikeouts, finishing the game with a 3.17 ERA. She brought up how important today was for the team stating: “Today definitely meant the most, because if we lost, we were done, so it was good to go out there and have me and Autumn (Humes) perform at our best.”

With two straight victories, Kentucky now advances to the NCAA Super Regional, heading to Tuscaloosa for the eighth trip in program history where they’ll take on the 3-seeded Alabama Crimson Tide.

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