No. 15 seed Kentucky softball (26-29, 1-24 SEC) dropped its round one matchup in the SEC Tournament to No. 10 seed Mississippi State (37-17, 10-15 SEC) 4-3, ending its season.
The Wildcats failed to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2008, and only the second time in head coach Rachel Lawson’s 19-year tenure, due to failing to meet the requirement of a record of .500 or better.
The Cats finished the season at a record of 0.473.
Kentucky needed to go on a run in the SEC Tournament to give itself a chance at making the NCAA Tournament, and it looked like the Cats were well on their way to doing so when they entered the bottom half of the seventh inning leading the Bulldogs 3-1.
Karissa Hamilton fueled the Cats offense with two towering home runs, driving in all three Kentucky runs.
Sarah Haendiges did her part in the circle as well, going 6.1 innings and striking out eight while only allowing one earned run.
Kiarra Sells led off the seventh with a single, followed by a fielder’s choice to Carly Sleeman. Allie Blum dropped Sleeman’s throw at second base, the Cats’ second error of the day.
Back-to-back singles by Kinley Keller and Morgan Stiles tied the game up for the Bulldogs and ended Haendiges’ day in the circle.
Hailey Nutter entered with the winning run at third base and one out. It looked like Nutter might be able to get out of it thanks to a failed suicide squeeze by Nadia Barbary. However, a walk loaded the bases for Taylor Troutman.
Troutman hit a hard ground ball to Abby Hammond at first, who failed to corral the ball and get to the base in time. Hammond’s error allowed Stiles to score to end Kentucky’s season.
“All year, we had a hard time getting things together,” Lawson said. “We would have a good day on the mound, and then, similar to today, we had a bunch of miscues the last inning.”
Miscues were the story of the Cats’ season. Kentucky finished with 65 errors in 55 games, the second most in the SEC. The Cats sit with 20 more than Ole Miss at No. 3.
Errors were an issue all season, but especially in conference play, where they seemed to build up every game.
“We just had so many people out of position,” Lawson said. “We had so many key injuries… they just didn’t have enough time under their belt to be able to become good at their positions.”
The loss marks the end of the line for four seniors: Hamilton, Haendiges, Maddy Clark and Ella Emmert.
The four combined for 192 games played this season, with Hamilton, Clark and Emmert being everyday starters for a majority of the season and Haendiges being the team’s ace.
“We did the best we could,” Hamilton said. “It is a lot of emotion. It’s four of our last games. It’s just a lot to take in, but we’re all just deep down very thankful.”
Kentucky posted its worst conference record in program history this season, losing 24 consecutive conference games. But a run in the SEC Tournament could’ve still made the Cats eligible for the NCAA Tournament.
Missouri entered the SEC Tournament needing a win to secure a .500 record, knowing it would qualify for the tournament as long as it met that requirement. The Tigers also dropped their first game of the postseason, meaning they too won’t qualify for the NCAA Tournament.
Kentucky and Missouri both having a resume that could qualify them for the tournament if they can meet the .500 record requirement attests to the talent that is in the SEC and across the country.
“It’s a credit to the growth of the game across the country,” Mississippi State head coach Samantha Ricketts said. “The SEC, we want to lead the way and to be the best of the best. But, you’re seeing teams all across the country at the mid-major level, other power four conferences, that just continue to get better and better, and they push us.”
With Kentucky’s season ending, the team now looks to the offseason, with hopes of a better turnout next year.
“I feel great about the pitching coming back, I feel great about the players coming back, I feel great about our incoming signees, they’re very, very good,” Lawson said. “The portal will open up soon, and you know, we need to get a little bit more diverse offense… we just have to add a missing piece or so.”
