Kentucky softball (24-22, 1-17 SEC) got swept for the fifth straight weekend, losing 10-3 to No. 10 Tennessee (37-6, 12-6 SEC) in the final matchup of a three-game series.
Panic and pressure are sure to be setting in after the Wildcats dropped their 17th-straight conference game.
Kentucky’s pitching staff have been consistently unable to find a rhythm as it suffered another weekend getting outscored by a landslide – this time by the Lady Vols, who outscored the Wildcats 21-3.
The Wildcats have had weekends getting outscored, 31-5 against Oklahoma, 26-3 against Georgia and 28-2 against Florida.
During the third inning, a Carly Sleeman home run snapped an 18-inning scoreless streak for Kentucky.
“Our offense continues to be the story, not knocking in runs with runners in scoring position,” head coach Rachel Lawson said.
The bullpen, though, has combated injuries to Carson Fall and Hailey Nutter, where the latter is finally back after returning against Texas A&M.
“We haven’t had her in a while, that’s a nice move in the right direction,” Lawson said about Nutter’s return.
Nutter, who pitched two no-hitters in nonconference play, seemed sure to be a consistent starter prior to her injury.
Lawson waited on a pitcher to step up during her absence, and it didn’t come until recently with freshman Abby Hammond.
In Nutter’s absence, the Cats needed someone to step up in the mound, a need that wasn’t met until Hammond’s recent domination.
Before Lawson increased Hammond’s playing time, their needs on the mound were consistency and longevity in the game.
They were failing to go deep into games as opposing teams would bat around constantly, but Hammond’s late season performance surge has singled her out away from competition.
Hammond pitched six great innings during game two, but came into the game after much of the damage had already been dealt by Tennessee from a six-run first inning off starting pitcher Sarah Haendiges.
Haendiges came into the game needing just a single out to surpass 100 total innings pitched on the season; she didn’t manage to retire a batter.
The pitcher suffered two long home runs and watched four runs cross the plate during her four batters faced.
MacKenzie Oslanzi came in looking to bounce back after her four-run inning in game two of the series, but saw two unearned runs cross. However, she retired the side to limit any further damage.
Oslanzi only worked for that single inning as Lawson shifted to Nutter, who went 2.2 innings. She allowed two earned runs on four hits, including a home run on the first batter she’s seen in over three weeks.
Hammond would be wheeled back out after her performance from game two, and pitched lights out, going 3.1 innings and giving up three hits with no runs.
“They’re just commanding their stuff, they’re competing […] they’re doing what they need to do, and in that way, they’re being very mature,” Lawson said about her freshman leaders Nutter and Hammond. “They’re not letting the game be too big for them.”
With just eight games left in the regular season schedule, the standout freshmen on the mound are sure to continue to make a name for themselves, fighting tooth and nail every pitch.
Nutter and Hammond’s leadership has radiated through the bullpen and progression has slowly been noticed, encouraging other pitchers as well as for the bats to get runs across the board.
Kentucky will begin its final road trip of the season by heading north to play Northern Kentucky on Wednesday, April 15, with first pitch set for 5 p.m. EST.
