Kentucky showcases power and pitching in season-opening softball sweep

Freshman shortstop Erin Coffel went 6-for-8 on her first day as a Wildcat, totaling four RBI, three runs scored and hitting her first career home run as she helped propel the 13th-ranked University of Kentucky softball team to 4-0 and 15-3 wins over Samford at Homewood, Ala., on Friday.

Kentucky, 2-0 after its season-opening doubleheader, was to face Samford again on Saturday afternoon.

Friday’s first game showcased Kentucky’s pitching and the nightcap its powerful lineup.

Autumn Humes, a “super senior” taking advantage of the extra year afforded NCAA athletes victimized by the pandemic, pitched a complete game shutout in the opener, allowing four hits, no walks and striking out seven. Humes’ 95-pitch effort marked the fifth time Kentucky pitched a shutout in its season opener, which also happened in 1998, 2004, 2011 and 2014.

Coffel, from Bremen, Ind., hit her first career home run in the fifth inning to support Humes’ effort.

In the second game, Kentucky hit four home runs in the first inning to build an 8-0 lead. Miranda Stoddard hit a three-run shot, Mallory Peyton hit a solo homer and Kayla Kowalik and Grace Baalman smashed two-run home runs.

Four more Kentucky runs crossed the plate in the second inning on the strength of two-run singles from Baalman and Coffel.

Samford answered with three runs in the third but it was not enough to prevent a five-inning mercy-rule defeat. Kentucky finished the game with 18 hits.

Baalman pitched three innings to earn the win, allowing three runs on two hits, walking one and striking out one. Meghan Schorman pitched the final two innings, permitting no hits while walking one and striking out a pair.

Up next

Kentucky visits UNC Greensboro for games Thursday and Friday before taking part in the Campbell Invitational at Buies Creek, N.C., Feb. 20-21.

This story was originally published February 13, 2021 at 12:21 PM.