Wildcats score early in 7-5 win over Rebels to take series-clinching game
OXFORD – April 8, 2023
Grace Lorsung went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and a two-run, two-out RBI double in the top of the first inning as No. 16 Kentucky held on to beat Ole Miss 7-5 and secure the series title Saturday night at the Ole Miss Softball Complex in Oxford.
Alexia Lacatena earned her ninth win of the season in the circle for UK, pitching 5.2 innings, allowing just three runs on a seven hits with five strikeouts. Sloan Gayan pitched the final 1.1 innings, getting a groundout to Grace Lorsung at third to end the game with the tying run at the plate in the bottom of the seventh.
Erin Coffel scored two runs in the game after being intentionally walked in all four of her at bats in the game, as she touched home in the first on Lorsung’s RBI double and also scored on Kowalik’s infield single in the top of the sixth inning to push Kentucky’s lead to 6-2 at the time.
Kentucky with the series win remains a perfect 5-0 in Southeastern Conference road games this season and now sits 24-9-1 on the season overall. The Wildcats move into third place in the SEC and now sport a 7-4 league record. Ole Miss drops to 22-18 on the season and now sits at 2-9 on the year in league play.
UK will go for the sweep on Easter Sunday at 4 p.m. ET live on ESPN2 with Mark Neely and Amanda Scarborough on the call. The game will also stream live on the ESPN app and ESPN+.
Key Play
The key play in the game was Grace Lorsung’s two-RBI double down the left-field line in the top of the first inning to put the Wildcats ahead, 2-0.
Key Player
Lorsung was the key player in Saturday night’s game with a 2-for-3 outing with a run scored, two extra-base hits and a walk.
Key Stat
0. Kentucky again had no errors in the contest, as UK has played the entire series to this point without committing an error.
Run Recap
Grace Lorsung pelted a two-RBI double with two outs down the left-field line to score Kayla Kowalik and Erin Coffel in the top of the first inning. UK 2, OM 0
Ole Miss scored its first run on a solo HR in the bottom of the second. UK 2, OM 1
In the top of the third, Erin Coffel scored on a wild pitch and Hallie Mitchell’s swinging bunt later in the frame sent home Kennedy Sullivan and the Wildcats took a three-run lead. UK 4, OM 1
A solo HR in the fifth closed the gap to two runs for the Rebels. UK 4, OM 2
In the top of the sixth, two runs scored on a Kayla Kowalik infield single and a Rebel throwing error. UK 6, OM 2
Ole Miss hit a two-out RBI single in the sixth. UK 6, OM 3
Grace Lorsung led off the seventh with a home run to left field on a 2-2 count. UK 7, OM 3
The Rebels scored twice in the seventh, but couldn’t tack on anymore as a groundout to Lorsung at third ended the game. FINAL – Kentucky 7, Ole Miss 3
