SAN DIEGO – Thanks to a terrific pitching performance by the Kentucky Softball pitching staff including a strong start from Alexia Lacatena and a finish from Stephanie Schoonover, the Wildcats survived another extra inning game Sunday, knocking off the Minnesota Golden Gophers 3-2 in eight to claim the title of the 2024 Aztec Opening Weekend Kickoff Tournament.
Lacatena went 4.0 innings with only two runs scoring against her, on an unlucky break with a sun balls, striking out two and walking one. Jaden Vickers came in and offered 2.0 innings of shutout relief, followed by Sydney Langson, who got a strikeout in the seventh. With the game on the line, Stephanie Schoonover entered the game and pitched 1.2 innings to close things out with three strikeouts, including the final two batters with the tying run 60 feet away.
Kentucky with the win closes the weekend 4-1 and wins the tournament via having the most wins. The Wildcats have allowed two runs or less in each of its first five games for the first time in program history.
Kentucky’s offense began with a solo home run off the bat of Erin Coffel in the top of the first inning to put the Wildcats on the front foot. After the Gophers answered with two in the fourth, Grace Lorsung hammered a game-tying blast on the first pitch of the sixth inning to tie the game at two.
Delani Sullivan scored the game-winning run in the top of the eighth inning thanks to a straight steal of third with international tiebreak rules in effect and took home on a throwing error by the Gophers. Stephanie Schoonover picks up her third win of the season to move to 3-0 on the year.
Lacatena’s Strong Start, Schoonover’s Finish Sends UK Past Gophs – UK Athletics​
Lacatena went 4.0 innings with only two runs scoring against her, on an unlucky break with a sun balls, striking out two and walking one. Jaden Vickers came in and offered 2.0 innings of shutout relief, followed by Sydney Langson, who got a strikeout in the seventh. With the game on the line, Stephanie Schoonover entered the game and pitched 1.2 innings to close things out with three strikeouts, including the final two batters with the tying run 60 feet away.
Kentucky with the win closes the weekend 4-1 and wins the tournament via having the most wins. The Wildcats have allowed two runs or less in each of its first five games for the first time in program history.
Kentucky’s offense began with a solo home run off the bat of Erin Coffel in the top of the first inning to put the Wildcats on the front foot. After the Gophers answered with two in the fourth, Grace Lorsung hammered a game-tying blast on the first pitch of the sixth inning to tie the game at two.
Delani Sullivan scored the game-winning run in the top of the eighth inning thanks to a straight steal of third with international tiebreak rules in effect and took home on a throwing error by the Gophers. Stephanie Schoonover picks up her third win of the season to move to 3-0 on the year.
Lacatena’s Strong Start, Schoonover’s Finish Sends UK Past Gophs – UK Athletics​