Kentucky Softball smacks Ohio 16-8 in Bluegrass Classic opener

In what was the first of four games for Kentucky Softball this weekend, the Wildcats couldn’t have asked for a better start offensively.

No. 9 Kentucky (17-2) utilized a nine-run second inning to overcome an early 3-0 deficit against the Ohio Bobcats (4-11) before cruising to a 16-8, five-inning victory in the 2022 Bluegrass Classic opener at John Cropp Stadium. Senior outfielder Renee Abernathy went 3-3 at the plate, driving home five runs, including a three-run homer to cap off UK’s 9-0 scoring stretch in the second.

Nine runs in a single inning are tied for the most by the ‘Cats this season, the first coming in the third inning of a 23-0 demolition of UC Santa Barbara back on Feb. 18.

😊😊 Softball = FUN 😊😊#WeAreUK x #BeTheStandard pic.twitter.com/3H7NX0FWSU

— Kentucky Softball (@UKsoftball) March 10, 2022

Kentucky found itself in an early hole after a three-run shot from Ohio’s Annalia Paoli broke the 0-0 tie before the bottom of the first inning could come around. But that was all the momentum the Bobcats would manage to create.

UK would then rattle off its nine runs in the bottom of the second, starting with Emmy Blame and Margaret Tobias before All-American Kayla Kowalik got in on the action. Kowalik would reach base on a fielding error, kicking off a string of three consecutive batters for the ‘Cats that reached base due to an Ohio error. Abernathy would put an emphatic close on the inning with her three-run homer.

The Bobcats didn’t go away that quietly though. Ohio would get a few more runs back over the next two innings, trimming its deficit to just 9-6 as we entered the bottom of the fourth inning. However, three more runs from the ‘Cats, capitalized by a double from Miranda Stoddard that scored Blane to make it 13-6 in favor of Kentucky.

Ohio tacked on two more runs in the top of the fifth, but Kentucky’s offense added an additional three runs in the bottom of the frame to end the game after five innings by a final score of 16-8. Freshman pitcher Alexia Lacatena moves to a perfect 5-0 on the season with the win after throwing three strikeouts in three innings of action while giving up three runs. Abernathy is now up to a .362 batting percentage on the season.

Kentucky will return to action on Friday for a doubleheader against Buffalo and Valparaiso. First pitch against Buffalo is an early one, scheduled for 10:00 a.m. where it will be broadcast live on the SEC Network+. First pitch of game two against Valpo is set for 5:30 p.m. and will also air on the SEC Network+.