LEXINGTON, Ky. (KT) — The Kentucky women’s softball team won their first game of the postseason 9-1 over Miami of Ohio in the opening round of the NCAA Evanston Regional on Friday.
Taylor Ebbs connected on two home runs and drove in five of the team’s nine runs in the six-inning contest. The Wildcats will remain in the winner’s bracket and face the winner of top-seeded Northwestern and Eastern Illinois on Saturday.
Erin Coffel also hit a home run, with her three-run shot that cleared the roof of Welsh-Ryan Areba over left field in the sixth inning. Grace Lorsung also connected on a solo blast as part of Kentucky’s 11-hit outburst in the NCAA opener. The roof-clearing blast by Coffel is the seventh time a player has connected on a home run over the roof. Overall, it marked the 12th time the feat has been accomplished.
Ebbs and Lorsung paced Kentucky’s offense with three hits each, while Coffel followed with a pair of hits for the Wildcats.
Stephanie Schoonover started for the Wildcats and allowed just two hits and one earned run. Kennedy Sullivan didn’t allow a hit and struck out three in her three innings in the pitcher’s circle. Both pitchers combined for six strikeouts.