Kentucky Softball Rallies in Home Opener to Beat Dayton 5-4

On Wednesday afternoon, No. 16 Kentucky softball played its first home game of the season at John Cropp Stadium against Dayton as the Wildcats rallied late to win 5-4. Graduate student Kennedy Sullivan started on the mound for Kentucky, but she came out with a rough start, walking Dayton’s first batter and allowing another to land on first.

It didn’t get any easier for her early on, either.

Still with no outs in the top of the first, Sullivan gave up a three-run homer to push Dayton to an early 3-0 lead over Kentucky.

🚨Early three-run homer for Dayton as @UKsoftball still remains out-less, Dayton:3, UK:0 pic.twitter.com/NREwraeVOh

— katelyn perkins (@KPerkinsKSR) March 8, 2023

But thanks to three fly ball catches, Kentucky was able to stop the bleeding and keep the deficit at 3-0 going into the bottom of the first.

Up to bat first for the ‘Cats was graduate student Kayla Kowalik, who quickly struck out. Although a couple of hits from juniors Erin Coffel and Grace Lorsung landed them on base, no runs were scored as the score remained 3-0 against the ‘Cats.

With Kentucky already in a hole, head coach Rachel Lawson sent in sophomore Alexia Lacatena to relieve Sullivan.

Each team struggled offensively in the second inning until UK was able to get on first and second with two outs as Kowalik was up to bat. That’s when the ‘Cats woke up.

Things beginning to look up

Kowalik hit a ground ball single that found its way through two Dayton defenders, bringing in the first run for Kentucky. Going into the third, the ‘Cats cut the deficit to 3-1 after the RBI single from Kowalik.

Then, in the top of the third with two runners on base, junior Vanessa Nesby had a snag to get the final out for the ‘Cats. In the bottom of the same inning, Coffel landed on base and was brought home by hits from Lorsung and senior Rylea Smith.

Heading into the fourth, junior Stephanie Schoonover took over the mound for Kentucky as the score was just now 3-2 in favor of Dayton. The Flyers made a pitching change of their own at the bottom of the fourth to try and stop the momentum building for UK offensively.

Although Kentucky had two runners left on base, no runs were brought in at the end of the fourth as the score remained 3-2.

Two on base for @UKsoftball in the bottom of the fourth with two outs pic.twitter.com/vuXH43edHA

— katelyn perkins (@KPerkinsKSR) March 8, 2023

The ‘Cats went three and out in the top of the fifth thanks to three strikeouts from Schoonover.

Both teams look shaky

No runs were scored by either team at the end of the fifth as Kentucky’s chances of taking a lead were getting slimmer.

In the top of the sixth with two outs, an error led to Dayton scoring off of an RBI single.

Later, in the bottom of the sixth, the ‘Cats were in desperate need of some runs after going down 4-2. Again UK found itself in a two-out hole in the bottom of the sixth. But next up was Kowalik, who laid down a bunt that landed her on first. Nesby followed that up by hitting a bunt to make it to first, moving Kowalik to second.

Finally, after a hitting drought for UK, Coffel drilled a bomb out to center field for a three-run homer. Despite a scoring drought that had been going on all game, Coffel and the ‘Cats turned it around and took a late 5-4 lead going into the seventh and final inning.

Schoonover took control in the top of the seventh to secure the 5-4 win for Kentucky.

The ‘Cats will head back on the road this weekend as they take on Missouri in Columbia for a three-game series.