The greatest slugger in softball history to lead nation’s No. 1 team against Kentucky
The Kentucky softball team has already begun Southeastern Conference play, but the most anticipated non-conference game of the season is still to come for the Wildcats.
UK will host No. 1 Oklahoma, the defending NCAA champions, at 7 p.m. Tuesday at John Cropp Stadium in Lexington.
The Wildcats, 20-5 overall, are now 1-2 in SEC play after beginning the conference slate last weekend at No. 3 Alabama.
UK lost two of three games to Alabama, dropping a Friday night contest, 4-2, and a Saturday afternoon game, 3-2. Kentucky took the Sunday afternoon game, 9-4.
Oklahoma — a perennial softball power that has won four national titles since 2013 — is not only the top team in the country but comes to Lexington with a perfect record of 25-0.
This includes 15 shutout wins and 21 wins by run rule.
The Sooners also boast the best home run hitter in NCAA softball history.
Redshirt senior Jocelyn Alo hit her 100th career home run during Oklahoma’s 20-0 win over Iowa on Sunday in five innings.
Alo — the 2021 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year — became the NCAA’s all-time home run leader when she hit her 96th career blast earlier this month in a game in her native Hawaii. Alo surpassed the 95 career home runs hit by Oklahoma legend Lauren Chamberlain.
It’s become a common tactic for opponents to toss pitches far outside of the strike zone to Alo, denying her the opportunity to hit the ball.
Last weekend, all five teams Alo played against pitched to her. She hit four home runs in five games.
Aside from the visit of college softball’s home run leader, Kentucky has gotten off to a strong start this season in its own right.
Ranked No. 8 in the country, head coach Rachel Lawson’s team has had winning streaks of nine games and six games, although the Cats have lost three of their last four.
Senior catcher Kayla Kowalik — UK’s all-time leader in runs scored — was a First Team All-America selection last season after posting a .495 batting average and recording 100 hits.
She has continued to rake at the plate this season, and is currently hitting .476 with 40 hits, 26 runs scored and 10 stolen bases.
Sophomore shortstop Erin Coffel (.448) and fifth-year outfielder Lauren Johnson (.425) are also hitting above .400 for the Wildcats.
In the circle, junior Miranda Stoddard leads the Cats with 44 innings pitched and a WHIP of 1.07.
Stoddard and freshman Alexia Lacatena — who pitched for the Italian national team in the Tokyo Olympics — are tied for the team lead in wins with five each.
Game-day information
Tickets are sold out for the matchup between Kentucky and Oklahoma.
It’s the first-ever regular-season sellout in UK program history at John Cropp Stadium, and the first sellout since the 2013 SEC Tournament Championship game.
Fans with tickets are asked to arrive early in anticipation of the large crowd. Additionally, fans are asked to check the validity of their tickets by making sure they’re purchased from UK Athletics’ official ticket partner, Ticketmaster.
Free UK blankets will be given to the first 250 fans at John Cropp Stadium. Fans can begin entering the stadium at 6 p.m., one hour before first pitch.
Due to the expected large crowd — along with the fact Kentucky baseball is also playing a home game Tuesday night against Morehead State at Kentucky Proud Park — UK will be operating van shuttles to take fans from parking lots to John Cropp Stadium.
Parking will be available beginning two hours before first pitch.
Parking in all areas surrounding John Cropp Stadium is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
The following areas will be open for parking:
▪ College Way West lot, immediately adjacent to Kentucky Proud Park;
▪ Purple Lots by The Bell Complex/John Cropp Stadium;
▪ Kroger Field Blue Lot;
▪ Kroger Field Green Lot;
▪ The Greg Page Lot, between the Arboretum and Commonwealth Drive.
Tuesday’s game will be televised live on the SEC Network with Kevin Brown and Michele Smith on the call, in addition to being available on the ESPN app and ESPN3.
Tuesday
No. 1 Oklahoma at No. 8 Kentucky
When: 7 p.m. Tuesday
TV: SEC Network
Records: Kentucky 20-5 (1-2 SEC), Oklahoma 25-0
This story was originally published March 21, 2022 at 1:52 PM.
