UK Rides Dominant Offense to Supers
Rachel Lawson is somewhat of a tinkerer.
A tireless watcher of game tape, Lawson is renowned for her ability to spot and exploit the smallest weaknesses in her opponent. Oftentimes, that results in ever-changing lineups.
But not right now.
Lawson has settled into a regular batting order – particularly at the top – that has carried Kentucky to a third straight super-regional appearance. No. 14 seed UK pounded out 26 runs in sweeping through the Lexington Regional, culminating in an overwhelming 11-1 run-rule victory over Virginia Tech Sunday at John Cropp Stadium.
“I’m a junior now and the last three years…we’ve hosted regionals, and that’s just an honor in itself being able to be a national seed and hosting,” Alex Martens said. “And then going in and setting in and realizing your goals, knowing what you have to do and then going to supers.”
UK has used the same lineup throughout the postseason and the same top four in the order since April 28. That top four – Jenny Schaper, Katie Reed, Abbey Cheek and Martens – was downright dominant Sunday. The quartet combined for 10 hits in 15 at-bats, seven runs and six RBI, with the senior catcher, shortstop and third baseman setting the tone for it all.
“We’re three seniors and we’ve been through the regionals and supers for three years now,” Cheek said. “I think just being mature and having us at the top really helps the middle of the lineup and the bottom of the lineup. If we’re doing good, then that means they’re going to be confident in the box too.”
The lineup is somewhat nontraditional, particularly at the very top. Lawson realizes that, which is why it took so long for her to finally realize there’s no one but Schaper that belongs there.
“If you look at her on paper, she should absolutely, positively not be the leadoff batter,” Lawson said. “She doesn’t have the foot speed you’d want out of a leadoff batter. She’s not a slapper, she’s a right-handed hitter, but her presence and her mindset and her ability to calm things down.”
From there, Lawson just had to figure out how best to fill the lineup in around Cheek, the SEC Player of the Year and all-time UK career home run record holder. Reed ended up slotting at second, where she has thrived. Martens, the lone non-senior among the top four in UK’s batting order, has done the same in the clean-up spot.
On Sunday, Martens took over sole possession of the single-season UK RBI record with a two-run double in the third inning. Three innings later, she upped her total to 66 with a three-run blast into a sharp wind that knocked down every other ball hit to right field.
“The amount of time that they get on base, that’s how RBIs happen,” Martens said. “I have to give all the credit to them for their on-base percentages, their batting averages. That’s how RBIs come.”
With UK’s offense clicking, Wildcat pitchers can take a more aggressive approach. That’s also why Autumn Humes – who picked up her second win of the weekend in the regional clincher – didn’t bat an eye when Kelsey Bennett hit a fourth-inning solo homer off of her.
“Today they got a big hit and they got a home run,” Humes said. “I just had to forget it. Honestly, people are like, what are you thinking when someone hits a home run? Nowadays I’m just trying to forget it and move on to the next pitch.”
In past years, pitchers shouldered the burden of leading UK in the postseason. If they didn’t lock things down and the Cats played anything less than perfect defense, UK likely wasn’t going to be able muster the offense necessary to advance. Times have changed.
Lawson says that will be the lasting legacy of the senior class that now makes up the entirety of the top third of UK’s batting order.
“What’s it’s done is they took a lot of pride in becoming an offensive team,” Lawson said. “So you’re seeing all the resources and the facilities and just the character, the people all blend into one and we become an offensive team that can pitch and play defense.”
That’s exactly the kind of group capable of taking UK to its second Women’s College World Series ever. The Cats will take their shot at it next weekend either against third-seeded Washington or Mississippi State.
