No. 8 Kentucky Softball sweeps No. 20 LSU in Baton Rouge
Grab the brooms! For the first time in a long time, the Kentucky Softball team swept the No. 20 LSU Tigers — and they did it on the road.
FRIDAY: Kentucky 5, LSU 3
Following a midweek loss to unranked EKU, the ‘Cats started the road series off on Friday night. Sophomore short stop Erin Coffel got things started offensively for Kentucky. She hit a lead-off solo homer in the top of the first inning to give the ‘Cats a slim 1-0 lead.
Shortly after having one homer hit off her, LSU pitcher Shelbi Sunseri hit one of her own to tie the game at 1-1. The Tigers continued to press afterward, loading the bases and forcing a UK pitching change, but they could only tack on one more. Ciara Briggs walked home to give LSU a 2-1 lead.
The score would remain there until the bottom of the fourth when LSU’s Taylor Pleasants hit an RBI double down the right field line to extend the lead to 3-1. The Tigers would not score again, though.
From there it was pretty much all Kentucky offensively. Kayla Kowalik and Renee Abernathy led off the sixth innings with a pair of singles. Another single from Lauren Johnson shortly after scored a run, followed by one from Taylor Ebbs to push another through. The go-ahead run was scored on a fielder’s choice, giving UK a 4-3 lead. Rylea Smith tacked another on in the seventh on a wild pitch, giving us our final score of 5-3.
LSU challenged Kentucky’s defense, but was stumped by Kentucky relieving pitcher Tatum Spangler. Spangler pitched 5.1 innings and allowed just four hits and one run. She threw 95 pitches in the game and struck out a career-high seven batters. It was her second win of the season.
Saturday: Kentucky 8, LSU 5
Following Friday’s offensive frustrations, the Tigers started Saturday afternoon’s game hot. They scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning thanks to a walk and a three-RBI double from sophomore Ali Newland. Newland (3-for-4) had a career-high three hits in the contest and a team-high three RBIs.
The ‘Cats finally got on the board in the top of the third. A Lauren Johnson RBI single scored Kayla Kowalik, cutting the Tiger lead to 4-1. It was the fourth inning, though, where UK tied the game. After a pair of walks and a run on a fielder’s choice, Rylea Smith hit an RBI single. A groundout from Erin Coffel to the left side tied the game shortly after.
Kentucky found its first lead of the game in the top of the fifth thanks to a two-out RBI single from Tatum Spangler, but it didn’t last long. LSU doubled to the left side next time out, tying the game at 5-5. The score would remain there for two innings until Erin Coffel hit a three-RBI homer to left field in the top of the eighth that gave Kentucky an 8-5 lead. It was her 10th home run of the season.
Spangler stepped up big on the mound for Kentucky again in this one. She pitched the final 2.1 innings as the Tigers tried desperately to find a hit. The senior from Henderson, NV recorded a strikeout, ground out and flyout to end the extra inning and give her team the series win.
Before that, though, Rylea Smith made a game-saving play in the bottom of the sixth innings. #SCTop10, anyone?
Sunday: Kentucky 5, LSU 3
The ‘Cats ended the weekend with another 5-3 win over the Tigers, but it certainly wasn’t easy. The Tigers hit the board first after a wild pitch in the bottom of the second inning. The ‘Cats countered in the fourth thanks to a Rylea Smith single that tied the game at 1-1.
LSU tacked on two more in the bottom of the sixth inning to take the lead. The Tigers needed just three outs to win the game and avoid the sweep, but UK sophomore Meeko Harrison had other plans. In perhaps her biggest play in blue and white thus far, Harrison hit a two-out, two-run, two-RBI single up the middle to give Kentucky a 4-3 lead. A pair of errors from the LSU defense allowed a fifth run to score.
Tatum Spangler pitched the final 1.1 innings, moving her to 4-0 on the weekend. She struck out the final LSU batter with the tying run at the plate to secure the sweep. The Tigers left nine runners on base throughout the day.
This was Kentucky’s first sweep over LSU since 2016.
What’s next?
Weather permitting, the ‘Cats will head to Louisville on Wednesday to take on their rival Cardinals. That game is set to begin at 7 p.m. and can be watched on ESPNU. The ‘Cats will resume conference play next weekend with a series against Ole Miss in Lexington.
Following this weekend’s wins, UK is now 25-8 overall on the season and 6-3 in Southeastern Conference play.
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