Kentucky softball drops first game of season in 6-1 loss to No. 13 Virginia Tech

Kentucky+junior+Lauren+Johnson+chases+down+a+ground+ball+during+the+game+against+Marshall+on+Wednesday%2C+March+11%2C+2020%2C+at+John+Cropp+Stadium+in+Lexington%2C+Kentucky.+Kentucky+won+16-15.+Photo+by+Jordan+Prather+%7C+Staff

Kentucky junior Lauren Johnson chases down a ground ball during the game against Marshall on Wednesday, March 11, 2020, at John Cropp Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky. Kentucky won 16-15. Photo by Jordan Prather | Staff

Cole Parke

No. 19 Kentucky (4-1) closed out the Northern Lights Southern Nights Tournament with its first loss of the season on Sunday, coming up short 6-1 against No. 13 Virginia Tech (5-0).

While the final score depicts a five-run loss, the game was a much closer affair, with both teams pitching shut-outs through the first three innings.

Starting in the circle for Kentucky was Miranda Stoddard, who pitched the Wildcats’ season-opening win over Wisconsin, as well as their win over Liberty.

Stoddard pitched four innings for the Cats, throwing a total of 45 pitches to 16 batters. During her time in the circle, she did not record a strikeout, but allowed three hits and one earned run.

Kentucky continued to fight despite the deficit in the fourth inning, keeping the game 1-0 until a dreadful sixth inning that imploded its chances of winning.

Stephanie Schoonover, who pitched a complete game shut-out against Michigan State prior, found herself in the circle at the top of the inning. Things spiraled out of control immediately, with the Hokies quickly recording a single to center field before Schoonover would walk the next batter she faced.

With no outs and two runners on base, Kentucky head coach Rachel Lawson deemed it necessary to pull Schoonover, replacing her with freshman Izzy Harrison, who pitched 1.1 innings against Liberty.

Things did not get better with the freshman in the circle, with Harrison hitting the first batter she faced to load the bases. 

With the bases loaded she continued to struggle, walking her second batter to give the Hokies a free run for a 2-0 lead.

Coach Lawson made the second pitching change of the inning, removing Harrison in favor of Kennedy Sullivan, who had pitched two innings in Kentucky’s win over Iowa the day prior.

While Sullivan recorded the first out of the inning, disaster struck with her second batter faced, Virginia Tech’s Meredith Slaw, making strong contact with a pitch for a grand-slam to put the Hokies up 6-0.

Sullivan managed to escape the inning after the four-run shot, but the damage had been done for Kentucky.

From the five-run inning, two runs allowed were given to Harrison and Schoonover, while Sullivan was only credited with Slaw’s own run.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Kentucky refused to back down and would attempt to rally, scoring one run with a Lauren Johnson triple, securing Johnson’s sixth RBI of the tournament as a whole.

Unfortunately for the Cats, outfielder Renee Abernathy would fly-out to center field to record the third out of the inning, ending their hopes for a comeback as the game wrapped up in six innings.

No. 19 Kentucky returns to action next weekend on Friday, Feb. 18, in the 2022 Hillenbrand Invitational, first against UC Santa Barbara in Tucson, Arizona. The first pitch is currently scheduled for 12 P.M. EST.