Kayla Kowalik (Vicky Graff Photo)
Alabama catcher Bailey Hemphill is the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year and one player Kentucky cannot let explode offensively in the Super Regional this weekend in Tuscaloosa. The fifth-year senior is fifth in SEC history with 62 home runs, including 12 this year. She is third all-time in the SEC in walks with 229, including 49 this year. She is 10th in the SEC in career RBIs with 235, including 49 this year. She is Alabama’s all-time leader in each category and is hitting .418 this season going into this afternoon’s game against Kentucky.
However, Kentucky has a star behind the plate also in Kayla Kowalik, the nation’s leading hitter with a .497 average. She bats leadoff but has matched Hemphill’s 12 homers this year and has driven in 37 runs. She has also stolen 22 bases — Hemphill has not even attempted a steal.
“They are completely different players,” Kentucky coach Rachel Lawson said Thursday. “Hemphill is long, incredibly strong, and puts the barrel (of the bat) on about anything. Her RBI potential is off the roof. She doesn’t strike out a lot (six times in 134 at-bats). She creates havoc for you.”
Yet even if Hemphill was SEC player of the year and first-team catcher in front of Kowalik, Lawson would not trade her younger star for anyone.
“Kayla is very different being a leadoff hitter. She has to take pitches to get on base,” the Kentucky coach said. “Maybe she has to play small ball (bunt) if fielders are back. If she needs a RBI, she has to drive the ball to the track. Her skill set has to be different because she is combing getting on base to maybe ing in RBI situations. But both of them are incredible and outstanding players.
Kowalik has a school-record 98 hits in 57 games and is on the verge of becoming the first SEC player since Kelsey Stewart of Florida to reach 100 hits in one season, something only 10 SEC players have done. Sarah Fekete of Tennessee holds the SEC record with 110 in 2006 while Lindsay Schutzler of Tennessee has 107 in 2005. Nicole Barber of Georgia had 105 hits in 2002. The other seven SEC players with 100 hits had between 100 and 102, numbers Kowalik could reach this weekend in the best two-of-three series for a berth in the College World Series.
Lawson worried after last week’s regional what toll catching almost every inning this season had taken on Kowalik’s legs and speed. However, she’s not worried about Kowalik being anything but at her best this weekend.
“I think she is incredibly strong. She is not completely worn out,” Lawson said. “I did not want a slapper to have to catch so many games.
“The past couple of weeks we have tried to manage her time behind the dish in practice. She is so good getting treatment and with her nutrition and so mentally tough. I think she will be fine.
“The super regional is one game a day. I feel good about where she is at.”
