A Successful SEC Opening Day for Kentucky Softball
No. 16 Kentucky softball started the SEC schedule off on a high note on Friday afternoon as the Wildcats defeated the No. 23 Missouri Tigers 5-0 in Columbia in the first of three games this weekend.
Head coach Rachel Lawson sent out star pitcher Stephanie Schoonover to hold the mound for the entire game. The junior did not disappoint once again as she burst out the gate with a three-and-out first inning.
Kentucky had no luck on the plate in the first two innings, but luckily Schoonover made up for it with her impressive pitching.
Heading into the third inning, neither team was able to bring in any runs as the score remained 0-0. Sophomore Taylor Ebbs came out swinging for the Wildcats in the top of the third to herself land on base. Next up for the ‘Cats was graduate student Kayla Kowalik, who has a knack for making big plays.
Kowalik stays steady for the ‘Cats
Kowalik has been a constant force so far this season for UK and kept that up on Friday as she hit a RBI single to bring Ebbs home and give the ‘Cats its first lead of the game 1-0.
Schoonover’s strike count reached six as she went through the Tigers’ entire order, holding the score at 1-0 after three innings. Then, in the top of the fourth, junior Erin Coffel sent a ball out of the park, tacking another run on to the Wildats’ lead and making it 2-0.
Coffel’s solo homer in the fourth put her career home-run count at 44, placing her in the third spot on the all-time leaderboard at UK. The Wildcats’ defense stayed strong in the fourth, holding the Tigers to no runs.
Defense was not the only strong suit for Kentucky on Friday as Kowalik hit a triple that then turned into a run brought in by junior Vanessa Nesby. Going into the bottom of the fifth, UK led 3-0 over the Tigers.
Schoonover continued to thrive heading into the sixth as she tallied 10 strikes. Neither team had any luck from the plate in the sixth as we went into a decisive seventh and final inning.
The cherry on top
In the top of the seventh, senior Rylea Smith brought in two more crucial runs for the ‘Cats after hitting a RBI single. Schoonover pitched another stellar inning to close this one up, helping UK get the 5-0 win over Missouri.
Kentucky will head into the rest of the weekend with Saturday and Sunday matchups against the Tigers.
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