LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky will advance in the winner’s bracket following a staunch offensive display, posting 10 runs against UIC and forcing an early end to the game after UK catcher Jenny Schaper hit a grand slam in the bottom of the fifth inning, which put the Wildcats up by nine and forced the run rule into effect.
Kentucky advances behind a 10-1 score to move to 32-19 overall on the season. UIC falls to 33-20 and will play Michigan at 7 p.m. ET at John Cropp Stadium after another round of rain forced the tournament into an extended rain delay. Kentucky will take on Notre Dame at 9:30 p.m. ET.
UK senior Erin Rethlake took to the mound to pitch a complete game, surrendering just one run on two hits and striking out three Flames in her five innings of work.
The UK offense didn’t waste any time providing steady run support as it jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning following two singles and a double from Brooklin Hinz, Mallory Peyton and Lauren Johnson. The Wildcats tacked on another run in the second inning after Bailey Vick reached on an error, stole second and later came around to score after Abby Cheek grounded out to the second baseman.
Cassie Kaelber put UIC on the board in the top of the fourth after she reached on a fielding error, advanced to second and third bases on another error, and then crossed the plate on a wild pitch.
The Wildcats’ bats took full control in the next inning. Following a leadoff Alex Martens’ walk, Hinz reached on a fielder’s choice, but both she and Martens advanced a base due to an errant throw from the shortstop. Peyton stepped in with a two-RBI single down the left-field line, which stretched UK’s lead to five runs. Johnson singled for her second hit of the game, while Rachael Metzger came on to pinch hit for Rethlake and walked to load the bases before Schaper unleashed a hard-hit ball off the scoreboard in left field.
Rethlake improved to 10-4 following her eighth complete game of the season.
NCAA Lexington Regional
May 19, 2018
Lexington, Ky.
#19 Kentucky 10, UIC 1 (5)
Kentucky Head Coach Rachel Lawson
Opening Statement …
“First of all I wanted to say thank you to our staff for getting the field ready to go today. They stayed up all night last night and woke up early this morning so we could get the game the off and I thought that was great, so first off I want to say thank you. It was a good game for us, good for our offense to hit around score some runs for us in the first inning. I think that shows that we’re anxiously ready to play and I loved that. I obviously loved how Jenny (Schaper) walked us off there and I thought that Erin (Rethlake) did a really nice job of keeping a very good team off balance and basically commanding the zone and giving us a good chance to win.”
On the hitting really changing from last week to this week …
“Oh, I loved it. I loved that we took control in the box. We had command, every hitter looked like they knew what they were doing and they looked like they knew what they wanted. As opposed to an approach that is more tentative and defensive. I thought that we did a really good job of coming out and just playing our game.”
On what they did to pass time during the rain delay Friday …
“Honestly, I don’t know what we did to pass the time. We have an unwritten rule that the team lounge is common property for adults and all kinds of people so that is where we act professional. When they go into the locker room, that’s kind of their safe zone. So, I don’t know what they were doing in there but I heard a lot of music. But, anyway our team gets along so well and it’s important in these situations that we’ve been preparing all year and practicing all year in rain delays. It’s important that you don’t get too tight, you don’t over think it, at least I think it is. I just think the kids were able to stay together and hung out.”
On concern about playing two high-level games in the same day …
“No, I mean this is what you’re made for. This is why you’re playing at Kentucky. This is why you’re playing in the SEC. I mean you’re going for the postseason, you’re expecting to play great teams. You know they wouldn’t be in the postseason if they weren’t great teams, they wouldn’t have great pitching and great preparation and coaching and weren’t able to score runs. I mean this is what we expect, but also what we hope for.”
On coaching the team’s anxiety and nerves…
“Well during the season I’m always harping on us about most statistical things, more just making sure you can do tactical things when you’re ready in the postseason and you know constantly putting players in positions so that you’re ready for the postseason. Once you get to the postseason you know none of that stuff matters anymore. I just write the lineup and they go out there and play. I think that’s the beauty of the postseason, it’s that kind of process, it’s their event, it’s their moment. Basically other than my role as the pitching coach I just let them go out there and play.”
Kentucky Student-Athletes
#6, Jenny Schaper, C
On hitting game-winning walk-off grand slam …
“I actually didn’t see it hit my face (on the scoreboard). I think I was too busy just running, but it’s awesome. It’s really great to come out here, especially not being able to play yesterday, and really show what kind of team we are and what we can do in this tournament. I just think that all around it was just a really great game and a really great feeling winning that game.”
On last pitch of the game …
“My approach being at bat was that I was just trying to work. What we’ve been doing all year is one run at a time, so I was just trying to score my run and I think she left the pitch up in the zone which is exactly what I was looking for and it just went a lot further than a sac fly.”
On passing time during day one’s delays …
“We had a couple dance parties in the locker room just to keep ourselves moving and having fun. We watched a lot of softball in the lounge, just typical stuff.”
On which teammates are best at keeping everyone loose…
“I would say Alex Martens and Bailey Vick. Actually, everyone’s pretty good at it. We’re a pretty relaxed and easy going team I think in general so it’s not hard to have fun when we’re all together.”
#13, Mallory Peyton, IF
On feelings about first post-season game …
“I wasn’t really nervous. I was really comfortable with my team. We’ve been preparing all week for this, so I think it was getting the nerves out in the first couple of innings and then when we came out and scored early that settled everybody down and we really came back and did it as a team.”
On passing time during day one’s delays …
“We played a couple board games and some trivia just to keep our minds sharp.”
On teammates best at keeping everyone loose…
“Jenny Schaper is definitely one of them.”
