Kentucky Wins Finale 13-5 Over South Carolina to Take Series
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Kentucky Wildcats scored 13 runs on 11 hits Sunday afternoon, hitting four home runs and closing out the 2022 season with a 13-5 win over South Carolina.
With the win, Kentucky finishes the regular season 35-16 and 13-11 in the Southeastern Conference. The 2022 SEC Softball Tournament bracket will be announced by the league office on Sunday night, including dates, times, seeds and television information for next week’s tournament in Katie Seashole Pressley Stadium in Gainesville, Florida hosted by UF.
Kentucky exploded out of the gates with a two-run opening inning and five-run second inning to take a 7-0 lead through a pair of innings. A four-run third inning made it 11-0 and Kentucky closed out the game from there with a run-rule win.
Three Wildcat players had two-plus hits in the game, including Kayla Kowalik, Lauren Johnson and Renee Abernathy. Johnson’s three hits continued a torrid weekend for the Owensboro, Kentucky native, who hit .667 with eight hits, two doubles, two home runs and six runs driven in.
South Carolina finishes its regular season 26-29 with a 3-21 SEC record.
UKathletics.com will have the latest information on the SEC Tournament as its released by the league office.
Key Play
The key play in the game was a two-run home run from Erin Coffel in the top of the first inning that put the Wildcats up 2-0 in the opening frame. Coffel was walked eight times over the weekend, but was able to drive in two runs on the long ball in the first.
Key Player
The key player in the game was Kayla Kowalik, as she went 2-for-4 at the plate, scoring three runs and logging an extra-base hit. Izzy Harrison was also a key player in the game, as she went four innings, allowing just one run on two hits with a pair of strikeouts.
Key Stat
4. Lauren Johnson had four RBI in the game Sunday.
Run Recap
Erin Coffel hit a two-run home run in the top of the first inning scoring herself and Kayla Kowalik, who doubled to lead off the game for the second time in the last three games. UK 2, USC 0
Kentucky scored five runs in the top of the second, beginning with a solo blast to LF off the bat of Miranda Stoddard. Lauren Johnson then hit a two-run double into center and Renee Abernathy’s double brought home another run. UK 7, USC 0
In the top of the third, Emmy Blane hit a two-run home run and Renee Abernathy had an RBI single to score Johnson and increase UK’s lead. UK 11, USC 0
The Gamecocks got an unearned run off a UK error in the bottom of the fourth. UK 11, USC 1
In the top of the fifth, Lauren Johnson hit a two-run bomb to right. UK 13, USC 1
The Gamecocks scored four times in the fifth. FINAL – Kentucky 13, South Carolina 5
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