Kayla Kowalik leads UK in runs scored. (UK Athletics Photo)
If Kentucky doesn’t do a better job hitting with runners in scoring position it’s going to be a long three-game series against Alabama (25-2, 5-1 SEC). The Wildcats left 19 total runners on base, including 14 in scoring position, in a nine-inning, 2-1 loss at Western Kentucky Wednesday.
“The past few games we have struggled getting the offense going,” Lawson said Friday. “The thing we have to focus on is who steps up and will be that person to drive in runs. You can’t win against good teams when you leave that many on base. There are towns in Arkansas that do not have that many people.”
Kentucky (23-3) started out sizzling at the plate but has been held to three or fewer runs in five of its last seven games and three times scored only one run.
Lawson says hitting coaches start to figure out hitters’ tendencies, especially with so many games on TV now, and expose players’ weaknesses.
She said she was surprised the “meat of our order” had so many infield popups at Western.
“I expected a little dip but not the soft contact we made,” the UK coach said. “Against pitching like Alabama, you will not get that many opportunities. It’s hard to believe pitching as good as Alabama will all that (19 runners on base). That’s what postseason play and good teams are about. You have to get good at that (hitting with runners on base) if you are going to advance.”
Lawson was not with the team at Western because a false COVID-19 positive forced her to stay in Lexington and watch the game online. She could tell leadoff hitter Kayla Kowalik — who is hitting .489 with 37 runs scored and 22 RBIs — was “outstanding” against Western.
Freshman shortstop Erin Coffel, who is still hitting .393 with 10 homers, has cooled off after her red-hot start. However, Lawson said that is not all her fault.
“Erin comes to bat (at Western) and I am seeing the catcher set up to pitch around her,” Lawson said. “A team is risking putting extra people on base early in the game with confidence it can get out our next batters. That cannot happen. They just pitched around Erin. She is outstanding but she is not used to being pitched around. You have to get used to walking or swinging at pitches out of the strike zone. They are really forcing her hand and passing the bat to the next people.”
On the plus side, Lawson said the defense is getting better and cited third baseman Miranda Stoddard for “outstanding” play at Western while also praising Coffel and second baseman Lauren Johnson. She also noted the pitching has been outstanding during the hitting slump.
Lawson says Alabama, which has lost only to Tennessee in SEC play, is one of the “oldest” teams in the country with “so many seniors and super seniors.” She said Tide hitter Bailey Hemphill — a .391 hitter with five homers and 22 RBIs — has seen pitchers Autumn Humes and Grace Baalman numerous times along with several other Tide players.
So knowing all that, I asked Lawson Friday why she still thought her team could win after painting such a gloomy outlook for the three-game series that starts Saturday and ends Monday.
“Every game in history for 14 years we have been the underdog,” she said. “We have beaten top five teams. We do not count (beating) top 25 teams because that happens all the time. Other people get nervous, I don’t. It’s kind of like Kentucky football facing somebody that is ranked and outstanding every game. That’s why SEC softball is so exciting. You never know what might happen. It’s why softball has such a huge following.
“You really don’t know what is going to happen. Every time we play an SEC team we are the lesser ranked team. I am good with it. It’s my life.”
Alabama was No. 4 in this week’s national poll while UK was No. 7. Eight more SEC teams are in the top 25, including No. 5 Florida which beat UK in two of three games.
