27 minutes ago Kentucky Athletics
Photo: Kentucky Athletics
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Erin Coffel tied Brittany Cervantes for second place on Kentucky’s all-time softball home run list with her 48th career hit and Stephanie Schoonover struck out 10 as the Wildcats beat Michigan 2- 1 Sunday afternoon to close the 2023 John Cropp Classic.
Coffel went yard to center field in the bottom of the third inning to tie the game at 1-1 and Grace Lorsung drove an RBI single into center field to score Kennedy Sullivan in the same half as it was all offense the Wildcats would make. need to run ahead of the Wolverines in the game.
Stephanie Schoonover pitched a full game, striking out 10, marking her sixth straight start with 10 or more strikeouts in the game, as she only walked one all afternoon. The Wolverines’ only run came in the lead in the first inning on a two-out home run by Keke Tholl. Schoonover struck out the last 14 batters of the game in order and allowed just two hits all afternoon.
Kentucky is now 19-5-1 on the 2023 season with Sunday’s result and pushes its season-high winning streak to eight games with the win.
key set
The key play of the game was Grace Lorsung’s RBI single in the bottom of the third to score the eventual winning run. Kennedy Sullivan was second and Meeko Harrison was first with two outs in a 1-1 game as Lorsung laid down a blooper in shallow CF to score Sullivan. Harrison was able to go from first to third on a Michigan error as the Wildcats’ three-hit inning continued.
key player
Erin Coffel was the key player in the game, going 1 for 2 at home plate with her 12th homer of the season late in the third inning. With that HR, she recorded her 48th career long ball, tying Brittany Cervantes for second place all-time on the British record list for most career home runs. She is now 13 homers away from equaling Abbey Cheek (2016-19) who finished her run with 61.
Key stat
14. Stephanie Schoonover of Kentucky retired the last 14 batters of the game in order.
Run Summary
Keke Tholl hit a two-out home run to the middle right in the top of the first inning. MICH 1, United Kingdom 0
Erin Coffel homered one out in the top of the third to tie the game. After walking and finishing second on a Meeko Harrison single, Sullivan scored on the RBI single from Lorsung at center. FINAL – Kentucky 2, Michigan 1
Following
The Wildcats will take a week off from midweek games before heading home to John Cropp Stadium this weekend against No. 24 Texas A&M for the Wildcats’ home opener against the Aggies on Friday (6 p.m. 30 ET), Saturday (2 p.m. ET) and Sunday (1 p.m. ET) at the JSC.
