Kentucky Softball Swept by No. 3 LSU in SEC Series Opener

Kentucky Softball struggled in their first conference series at home.

The No. 21 Wildcats (14-7, 0-3) could not get over the hump as they faced the No. 3 LSU Tigers (22-0, 3-0) at John Cropp Stadium in Lexington over the weekend. The Wildcats took on the Tigers to start conference play on Friday, March 8. Weather played a huge factor throughout the weekend as Lexington was flooded with water Friday afternoon through Saturday.

After having delayed starts to their games, the ‘Cats could not keep the Tigers off the board and went 0-3 on the weekend.

Game 1: LSU: 6, UK: 2

The Wildcats and Tigers were set to start at 6:30 pm EST on Friday. Nasty weather came quickly that night and multiple rain delays set their new start time to about 8:30 pm EST. Stephanie Schoonver Kentucky’s ace, was in the circle for her team. Unfortunately, Schoonover struggled from the mound within the first two innings and LSU put two on the board early off a walk-in run and error.

After the second inning concluded Mother Nature did not want to cooperate and another rain delay was set into place which pushed back the second start time to a little after 10 pm EST. At the top of the third, the Tigers went on a run and continued to capitalize on Schoonover’s pitching struggles as they put up three more to take the 5-0 lead. An RBI double in the bottom of the third cut Kentucky’s deficit down to 5-1.

New Jersey native Alexia Lacatena, took over for Schoonover later in the game. LSU scored again in the sixth off a sac-fly with no outs against them. Lacatena shut their offense down the rest of the game but the junior’s efforts were not enough as the ‘Cats could not bring in more than one run in the last two innings. Pitching and offensive struggles allowed the Tigers to walk away on Friday night with the 6-2 victory.

Game 2: LSU: 4, UK: 3

Kentucky had a chance for redemption on Saturday after not having their best performance against LSU the previous day. Left-handed pitcher Jaden Vickers was on the mound for the ‘Cats in their second game of the weekend. The grad transfer did not look too good in the first after giving up an RBI single which gave the Tigers an early 2-0 lead. The bats were working better for the Wildcats in the bottom of the first as an RBI single of their own brought a run in to make it a 2-1 game.

Vickers was solid after the first inning as she held LSU to no runs scored going into the sixth. Kentucky was having better luck in the third and freshman power swinger Ally Hutchins knocked a solo homer out of the park to tie things up at 2-2. At the top of the sixth, the bats were rolling for the Tigers which gave them room to put another on the board and take the late 3-2 lead. However, LSU did not hold the lead for long after a defensive error in the bottom of the inning scored an unearned run for the ‘Cats.

It was a 3-3 game at the top of the seventh inning. Vickers held strong throughout the match but an RBI single courtesy of the Tigers at the top of the inning put LSU up 4-3 heading into the Wildcats final shot. Kentucky came up short in the end and dropped their second game in the SEC opener.

Game 3: LSU: 8, UK: 3

The third and final game of the weekend between UK and LSU came on Sunday, March 10 in Lexington. Freshman pitcher Sydney Langdon started her first career SEC game on the mound on Sunday. Langdon gave up two runs at the top of the first after allowing the Tigers to get three deep hits. LSU did not hold the 2-0 lead for long as junior Taylor Ebbs launched an RBI double in the bottom of the fourth to tie things up at 2-2.

Langdon was relieved in the third by Lacatena in the circle. The sixth inning was rough for Lacatena. The Tigers had six hits off the junior pitcher which led to them putting up six runs. Heading into the bottom of the sixth it was an 8-2 deficit for the ‘Cats. In order to not be run-ruled, Kentucky had to put some runs of their own on the board, but other than a solo bomb, the Wildcats could not come up with the hits and fell to LSU 8-3 in their final game of the series.

Over the weekend, Kentucky had five errors in their game on Saturday which marked the most that they have had so far this season. The errors that were made throughout the series and defensive struggles dug the ‘Cats into a hole that was too deep to get out of and caused them to drop all three of their SEC opening series games.

In the next week, Kentucky will face the Lipscomb Bison on Wednesday, March 13, at 5 pm EST. The Wildcats will host the John Cropp Classic starting on Friday, March 15 at 3 pm EST with the Ohio State Buckeyes up first in the five-game series.