No. 17 Wildcats’ homers carry them to opening day sweep

CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Kentucky Softball team hit six home runs including a walk-off bomb from freshman Karissa Hamilton in game two as the No. 17 beat St. from the 2023 season.

Alexia Lacatena and Stephanie Schoonover picked up the win on Saturday with Lacatena throwing 3.2 innings in game one with just two hits allowed and no runs, entering the game trailing 3-0 in the top of the first inning in relief. Schoonover pitched a complete-game shutout against the Cards, allowing just two hits in the entire game, and did not allow a runner past second base in the contest with no walks and two strikeouts.

Offensively, Kentucky set a new school record with 14 runs scored in a season opener in a 14-4 win over the Red Storm, breaking the previous record against Stephen F. Austin in 2007. The win in UK’s opening game as well. set a program record for the largest margin of victory in the team’s first game. Seven UK players had multiple hits Friday morning, with Jenna Blanton and Rylea Smith each having three.

English used the long ball to advantage on Saturday with six homers in two games. Taylor Ebbs clubbed the go-ahead grand slam in the bottom of the first inning vs. St. John and Kennedy Sullivan followed that up with her own solo HR. Erin Coffel went two yards against the Red Storm and transfer Grace Lorsung hammered her first dinger as a Wildcat in the bottom of the fourth. Hamilton’s walk-off three-run blast for CF was the game ender and the sixth homer by UK hitters in the afternoon.

Kentucky is scheduled to play Pittsburgh and Southern University on Saturday in the second day of the NFCA Lead-Off Classic 2023. Unsettled weather is moving into the area, so fans should check @UKSoftball on social media and UKathletics.com for the latest information update on the schedule.

Game 1 – Kentucky 14, St. John’s 4

Play key

Taylor Ebbs’ grand slam in the bottom of the first inning turned a 3-0 Red Storm lead into a 4-3 Kentucky lead, and the Wildcats would never look back.

Key player

Jenna Blanton was a key player in the game, going 3-for-3 at the plate with three singles, a pair of RBIs and also a home run robbing catch over the center field wall that saved a potential three runs. It was Blanton’s first career game after missing 2022 with a shoulder injury.

Key Stat

14. The 14 runs scored are the most for Kentucky Softball in opening day game history. All 14 runs came consecutively after SJU put three runs in the top of the first.

Run Recap

In the top of the first inning, St. John’s scored three runs on two hits with a walk and a wild pitch turning into a quick pair of runs to start the game. Alexia Lacatena then entered the field for the Wildcats. SEVEN 3, UK 0

Kentucky responded with six runs in the bottom of the first inning, which took nearly half an hour to complete. Taylor Ebbs drilled a grand slam into CF straight away to make it 4-3 Kentucky and Kennedy Sullivan then followed with his own jacks for back-to-back home runs. Meeko Harrison doubled to RF to get into scoring position for Margaret Tobias, who plated Harrison on a single. UK 6, SEVEN 4

Erin Coffel hit her first home run of the 2023 season in the bottom of the second inning to extend Kentucky’s lead. UK 7, SEVEN 4

In the bottom of the fourth, Kentucky scored seven runs. Erin Coffel led off the inning with a home run, followed by a homer from Grace Lorsung for back-to-back jacks. Karissa Hamilton walked with the bases loaded to score a run and Jenna Blanton then blasted a single to score Vanessa Nesby. FINAL – Kentucky 14, St. John’s 4

Game 2 – Kentucky 8, Louisville 0

Play key

Vanessa Nesby and Meeko Harrison turned an incredibly rare 7-3 double play in the top of the fifth inning. There was a runner on first with no outs as the ball was caught by Nesby right on the ground on a forward slide. He then threw to Harrison, who made a nice pick to solidify the double play.

Key player

Karissa Hamilton was a key player in the game, hitting her first career home run to lead off the game, along with a 2-for-3 evening at the plate with four RBIs.

Key Stat

12. Stephanie Schoonover has now thrown 12 innings vs. Louisville in her career without giving up a run, and has given up just two hits in that inning. He pitched a no-hitter in 2022 and didn’t allow a hit until the leadoff batter in the top of the third inning on Friday afternoon.

Run Recap

Kentucky scored three times in the bottom of the first thanks to a two-run double off the bat of Grace Lorsung to left field and an RBI double from Hamilton. UK 3, UL 0

Margaret Tobias took advantage of a two-out Cardinals error with runners on the corners to score two runs thanks to a ball past the first baseman on a bad throw from the pitcher on a chopper back up the field. UK 5, UL 0

Karissa Hamilton jacked a three-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the fifth inning after the first two batters reached to give Kentucky the walk-off win. last – Kentucky 8, Louisville 0