Freshman Karissa Hamilton had a walk-off homer against Louisville Friday. (Beth Mann Photo)
If you like offense, the Kentucky softball team had it Friday.
If you like pitching, the Kentucky softball team had it Friday.
And if you like defense, the Cats had that, too.
The Wildcats opened the season in Clearwater, Fla., with a 14-4 win over St. John’s in five innings and then blanked rival Louisville 8-0 in five innings.
Offense — Kentucky hit six home runs that included a walk-off homer by freshman Karissa Hamilton against Louisville. Coach Rachel Lawson had made it clear she expected big things from Hamilton and she delivered.
The 14 runs against St. John’s set a school record for runs in an opening game and also a record for margin of victory. Seven players had two or more hits, including Jenna Blanton and Rylea Smith with three each.
Sophomore Taylor Ebbs had a grand slam in the bottom of the first inning and Kennedy Sullivan followed that up with a solo homer against St. John’s. Junior shortstop Erin Coffel homered twice against St. John’s and Indiana transfer Grace Lorsung got her first UK homer.
Pitching — Alexia Lacatena and Stephanie Schoonover picked up the wins. Lacatena went 3 2/3 innings in game one and allowed only two hits and no runs
after coming in with UK down 3-0 in the first inning.
Schoonover — who could be the staff ace — pitched a complete-game shutout against Louisville. She gave up just two hits, did not walk a batter, struck out two and did not have a runner get past second base.
Defense — Blanton had a home-run saving catch over the center field fence against St. John’s that saved three runs in her first UK game after she missed the 2022 season with a shoulder injury. Against Louisville, left fielder Vanessa Nesby and first baseman Meek Harrison combined for a double play when Nesby made a sliding catch and threw to Harrison for the double play.
