Rachael Metzger celebrated after driving in seven runs with two pinch hits in UK's regional sweep. She says freshmen Mallory Peyton and Lauren Johnson played key roles for UK in the regional triumphs. (UK Athletics Photo)
Being the underdog is something that the Kentucky softball team seems to enjoy.
“Everyone was choosing Michigan (to win the regional at Lexington) and that gave us a chip on our shoulder,” said senior pitcher-first baseman Erin Rethlake. “Everyone seems to always think of Kentucky as the underdog.
“Four years here we have never not been the underdog. We play well that way. It’s fun to prove people wrong. Last week picking were picking Michigan and we were not happy. It was a good thing for us. We played to make a statement.”
Kentucky made a statement by outscoring regional opponents 28-1 to advance to the Super Regional where the Cats certainly will be a decided underdog against No. 1 Oregon. The first game will be Thursday night.
Rethlake’s basic thought — bring it on.
“We are more focused on us than anything,” she said. “It’s exciting to get back out there. Last year that was an atmosphere none of us had played in. The noise, the fans were amazing. This year that will not be new to us.”
Kentucky did go to Eugene, Ore., for the Super Regional last year. It lost the first game but seemed poise to force a game three when it had a three-run lead in the seventh inning of game two. However, Oregon erupted for four runs to win 6-5 and went to the College World Series for the fourth time in the last six seasons.
“I think last year’s loss was crucial for us this year. I think that loss has been beneficial to our team this year,” said senior Rachael Metzger, who drove in seven runs with a grand slam homer and double as a pinch-hitter in the regional. “I was hoping we would host (a regional) and we would get to go to Oregon again. It’s going to be a fun series. We are all really committed to getting to the World Series.”
Senior Brooklin Hinz said UK had the right “vibe” last weekend to dominate regional play.
“We felt so loose. You could almost feel a vibe. People were singing, dancing. We didn’t feel the pressure. We just played Kentucky softball,” she said.
“It seems like the ball has rolled away from us all year. We have been just short all year, but this team has come together at the right time,” Rethlake, who gave up only an unearned run in two complete games in the regional, said. “Everybody is just playing really well right now and getting comfortable at the same time.”
Hinz said freshmen Mallory Peyton and Lauren Johnson gave UK a needed lift at the bottom of the batting order.
“I think it is awesome we are having production out of everybody, especially the freshmen. So proud of Mallory and Lauren. Those two are really key in the bottom of the order just turning it (the batting order) around for us,” Hinz said.
Kentucky will need a good vibe against Oregon, which has three dominant starting pitchers and what both coach Rachel Lawson and Hinz called some of the best fans in the country.
“They have grandstands in the outfield and when they get a hit, something erupts there. Having the fans so close to you makes the atmosphere really cool,” Hinz said.
But as good as the atmosphere is, Lawson said Oregon has no weakness on the field.
“The thing that makes Oregon good is that they have three pitchers that they can go to at any time. There are not very many teams in the country that can go to that many pitchers, give them a quality start, and keep them in the game and stuff, and they always have a tremendous offense,” Lawson said. “Their offensive numbers are not what people might expect but they face top pitching all the time. I think their offense is incredible. They play great situational softball and have great athletes.”
Still, Rethlake sees nothing to fear.
“Nobody expects us to come out. It’s not about Oregon, it’s about us. The way we just played. It was never about Notre Dame, Michigan or UIC. It was about us. That’s the same mentality that we’ll go out there with against Oregon. It’ll be fun, I think,” she said.
(STORY BY LARRY VAUGHT)
