Erin Coffel leads UK in home runs and RBI's. (Photo by SEC)
Sophomore shortstop Erin Coffel is Kentucky’s leader in home runs and batting average going into NCAA Tournament today in Blacksburg, Va., and coach Rachel Lawson thinks she should be mentioned with the best players in the SEC.
“She is an outstanding athlete and is very strong,” Lawson said. “Nobody practices harder in the (batting) cage and field. She puts her heart and soul into everything.”
“Erin has put up numbers to be in consideration for SEC Player of the Year as a sophomore and is going against players three years older than her.”
The league’s coaches named Coffel to the all-SEC first team after hitting .412 with 17 home runs (27 total extra base hits) and 58 RBI’s. She struck out only 16 times in 158 at-bats.
Coffel was good as a freshman but Lawson said she made a “big jump” this season in her overall play.
“She has continued to learn the game and study the game,” Lawson said.
Lawson said playing shortstop in the SEC is as much mental as physical.
“There is a lot happening that the average person does not see,” the UK coach said. “She has done a good job being a student of the game and figuring stuff out. Because of that, she has been able to elevate her play.”
Kentucky plays Miami (Ohio) this afternoon in the first game. Host Virginia Tech and Miami both beat UK during the regular season.
