Softball Cats Peaking as Postseason Play Begins
Heading into Sunday’s doubleheader against South Carolina, the Kentucky softball team had not yet clinched a spot in the SEC Tournament. The Wildcats needed either a win against the Gamecocks, or to get help from some particular league rivals.
Kentucky did not wait for assistance, nor did they waste any time, winning game one of the double dip 8-4 to clinch its spot in Columbia, Missouri, this week. After the final day of the regular season finished on Sunday, Kentucky claimed the 10th seed in this week’s conference tournament. The Wildcats will open play on Wednesday, facing seventh-seeded Arkansas at 2:30 ET on the SEC Network. Wednesday’s game will be the first meeting between the teams this season.
The winner of that game advances to the quarterfinals to face third-seeded Georgia. That game will be on Thursday at 2:30 ET, also on the SEC Network.
Kentucky head coach Rachel Lawson was proud of how her team handled its difficult slate, including an incredibly tough SEC schedule, this season.
“It’s been a long season from the standpoint of, we’ve had a grueling schedule, everyone knows it,” Lawson said. “To be able to stay the course and grind it out and we needed this last weekend to secure (the tournament bid), so that was a little nerve-wracking, but I’m really proud of the team, how they came through.”
Lawson knows that the depth and quality of the SEC is what makes it tough every weekend of conference play.
“It’s almost mind-blowing,” Lawson said. “We’re a good team, we’ve got a ton of Top 25 wins, a ton of quality wins and just to take it to the last weekend just to make sure we get in the SEC Tournament does say how strong we are all the way through 13. Any of the 13 teams we have can make a deep run in the postseason.”
Senior Erin Rethlake thinks that everything is coming together for the Wildcats at just the right time.
“It’s been a tough year, we’ve had some ups and downs all through the year,” Rethlake said. “It finally feels stuff is really clicking for all of us. We’re kind of peaking at the right time, it feels like. I’m really excited going from here on out.”
Freshman Mallory Peyton, who had eight runs batted in over the course of three games against South Carolina and was named SEC Freshman of the Week, hopes to carry the momentum from last weekend’s series into the SEC Tournament.
“It gives the whole team confidence, these two wins and taking the last series,” Peyton said. “Taking the series from South Carolina really gives the whole team confidence. We secured our bid and get to extend our season.”
For Peyton, Wednesday’s game will be her first in SEC Tournament play. What does she expect from the event?
“I expect it to be ruthless,” Peyton said. “All the teams are very tough. I’m excited to see what happens in the tournament.”
Peyton, along with a number of other young players, have been key contributors this season, and Rethlake thinks the young players are playing their best heading into the postseason.
“They’re peaking just like everybody else is right now,” Rethlake said. “They don’t need advice. Their heads are in a good place. They look good and it shows right now. They’re playing great and we just need them to continue so we can get it through all parts of the lineup.”
As the postseason begins, Lawson feels good about her team and hopes her young pitchers are ready for what they will see this week.
“We’re going to be taking a freshman and a sophomore, who have had the bulk of our innings, into the postseason, who have no postseason experience at our level,” Lawson said. “That’s something you’re always a little leery of. Luckily, we have Rethlake, who has a lot of postseason experience and did a great job last year.”
The Wildcats came through in a postseason-like situation last weekend. That, and the fact that the team is peaking at the right time, should bode well for the Cats in the SEC Tournament and beyond.
