Langdon Wins First-Career Game in Wings Etc. Classic Finale
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Freshman pitcher Sydney Langdon earned her first-career win in the circle Sunday afternoon, as the No. 13 Kentucky Softball team beat USC Upstate 11-6 to close out a 5-0 weekend at the 2024 Wings Etc. Classic.
With Sunday’s result, Kentucky improves to 11-2 and caps off a perfect 5-0 weekend at the 2024 Wings Etc., Classic hosted by USC Upstate. The host Spartans with Sunday’s result falls to 7-7 on the year after a 2-3 weekend in the tournament.
Rylea Smith went 4-for-5 at the plate and Erin Coffel belted her 60th-career home run in the contest as UK’s offense put out 11 runs on the board and overcame an uncharacteristic three errors in a sloppy Sunday showdown.
Freshman pitcher Sydney Langdon collected her first-career win, throwing 4.1 innings, allowing just one earned run, walking just one batter and striking out eight. Senior Jaden Vickers came on in relief to pitch the final 2.2 innings with four strikeouts and only one run surrendered.
Erin Coffel led off the top of the third inning with a no-doubter home run over the scoreboard at Cyrill Stadium to pull UK within a run at the time, 2-1. The home run for Coffel marked the 60th of her career, as she now needs just one more longball to tie Abbey Cheek’s school record of 61 and two to break it.
Next weekend, Kentucky will head to the Queen City to face off against Charlotte twice, Fordham twice and Minnesota in the 2024 Queen City Classic hosted by Charlotte. UK will play Fordham and Charlotte on Friday, Minnesota and Charlotte on Saturday and close by facing Fordham on Sunday morning.
Key Play
Grace Lorsung’s three-run home run in the top of the fourth inning was the key play of the game.
Key Player
The key player was Rylea Smith, who went 4-for-5 in the game and knocking in a run.
Key Stat
14. Kentucky had 14 hits in the game, allowing it to overcome a season-high three errors.
Run Recap
In the bottom of the first inning, USC Upstate hit a two-run home run after the would-be third out was struck out, but advanced to first on a wild pitch with two outs prompting the next batter to hit a homer and give the Spartans the lead. USCU 2, UK 0
Kentucky responded with a three-spot in the top of the third inning as Erin Coffel led off the inning with a solo home run to left field over the scoreboard. After back-to-back base hits by Rylea Smith and Lauryn Borzilleri, Taylor Ebbs tied the game on an RBI double to left center and Karissa Hamilton gave Kentucky the lead with a single up the middle to score Ally Hutchins. UK 3, USCU 2
In the top of the fourth, Coffel led off the inning with a hit by pitch and scored on a successful squeeze play at home, again executed by Hutchins at the dish. Grace Lorsung with two outs then hammered a home run to right center to score three and push it to seven unanswered for the Wildcats. UK 7, USCU 2
Kentucky shot itself in the foot in the bottom of the fifth, as two errors led to four USC Upstate runs and the Spartans closed to within 7-6 on a dropped ball in the outfield, infield and then a two-run home run immediately after. UK 7, USCU 6
In the top of the seventh, the Kentucky offense struck for four runs on five hits, with the ball only leaving the infield once. Karissa Hamilton reached on an error and Margaret Tobias singled to put two on with no outs and they both advanced on a wild pitch. A second-straight wild pitch scored Hamilton from third and a Vanessa Nesby seeing-eye single over the pitcher’s head drove in Tobias. Erin Coffel then doubled to put two in scoring position with no outs and Ella Emmert drove in the fourth run of the inning with a sacrifice fly on a 1-2 pitch to give Kentucky a game-high five-run cushion. UK 11, USCU 6
NEW for 2024 – The Kentucky Softball Designated Players Club
The Designated Players is the Official Booster Program of Kentucky Softball. Financial contributions and community support through The Designated Players program, Kentucky Softball will be able to continue to develop our student-athletes on and off the field. To join The Designated Players, you can join online or click here to download the membership form and mail to the address listed. For more information, email Kristine Himes at kentuckysoftball@uky.edu or Larry Cash at Larry.Cash@uky.edu.
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