Nesby Helps Pace No. 14 Kentucky to DH Split on Saturday
NORMAN, Okla. – The No. 14 Kentucky Softball team earned a 7-1 win over UIC and fell 7-1 to the No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday afternoon as day two of the 2023 Oklahoma Tournament wrapped up at Marita Hynes Field in Norman.
In game one, Stephanie Schoonover threw a complete game, allowing just one run on one hit in the contest with eight strikeouts and surrendering two walks. UK got multi-hit games from four players, including three hits from Grace Lorsung and Rylea Smith as the Wildcats ran past the UIC Flames, 7-1.
In the nightcap, No. 1 Oklahoma jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the fourth inning and was then held scoreless the rest of the way and UK notched six hits off of Jordy Bahl including a run as the Wildcats fell, 7-1, in their second game of the weekend to the Sooners.
UK closes out tournament play on Sunday afternoon at 12:30 p.m. ET against UIC. The game will not be live streamed, but live stats are available at UKathletics.com.
Game 1 – Kentucky 7, UIC 1
Key Play
The key play in the game was an RBI double from Erin Coffel in the top of the fifth inning that went down the left-field line to score Vanessa Nesby after a lead-off single and gave Kentucky a 4-1 lead.
Key Player
The key player in Saturday’s game vs. UIC was Vanessa Nesby, who went 3-for-4 at the plate in the game with two runs scored and a stolen base. Nesby earned a starting assignment in the game and hit in the two spot for the Wildcats.
Key Stat
15. Kentucky logged 15 hits in the game Saturday afternoon, a new season high for that category. The Wildcats got multi-hit games from four players including Nesby (3), Rylea Smith (3), Grace Lorsung and Kayla Kowalik. Eight of Kentucky’s nine players in the starting lineup recorded a hit in the game.
Run Recap
Kentucky began the top of the third inning with four-straight hits, with Kayla Kowalik scoring on an error in right field and Kennedy Sullivan’s RBI single scoring Nesby to put a pair on the board for the Wildcats. Rylea Smith singled to the shortstop to bring in the third run of the Kentucky inning. UK 3, UIC 0
In the bottom of the fourth, a lead-off walk for UIC scored on a squeeze play with one out to score the only Flames’ run of the game. UK 3, UIC 1
Vanessa Nesby singled to lead off the top of the fifth and scored on Erin Coffel’s RBI double down the left-field line up against the chalk. Smith then singled through the right side to score Coffel after she advanced to third on a passed ball. UK 5, UIC 1
Grace Lorsung had a single to get a rally going in the seventh and scored on an RBI single from Meeko Harrison to balloon the lead and Kayla Kowalik singled up the middle to score Harrison with Erica Thulen, who singled to get on, thrown out at the plate to end the inning after a video review. FINAL – Kentucky 7, UIC 1
Game 2 – Oklahoma 7, Kentucky 1
Key Play
The key play in the game was an RBI single from Lauryn Borzilleri, to score UK’s run off of All-American pitcher, Jordy Bahl.
Key Player
The key player was Kennedy Sullivan, who pitched 4.0 innings, only allowing five hits and two runs to the nation’s top-ranked offense.
Key Stat
Six. UK registered six hits in Saturday’s game vs. OU after being no-hit by the Sooners on Friday night in Norman.
Run Recap
Oklahoma put up a five spot in the bottom of the second inning thanks to six-straight two-out hits, including a three-run home run from Jayda Coleman. OU 5, UK 0
In the bottom of the third, Bahl hit a ball up the middle to score Hayley Lee. OU 6, UK 0
The Sooners made it a seven-run lead in the bottom of the fourth as a lead-off walk came around to score on Bahl’s second RBI single of the game. OU 7, UK 0
Kentucky scored its lone run thanks to an RBI single into RF by freshman Lauryn Borzilleri to plate Rylea Smith, who led off the inning with a single. FINAL – Oklahoma 7, Kentucky 1
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