Softball: UL falls to Kentucky in WCWS opener

Chad Washington, The Advertiser, May 30, 2014

UL catcher Lexie Elkins records an out at the plate on a Kentucky courtesy runner during the Cajuns’ 4-1 loss.(Photo: Vance Lanier/Special to the Advertiser)

OKLAHOMA CITY – After losing only two games in the last two months, the UL softball team felt it had the best hitting team in the country.

That was until the Ragin’ Cajuns stepped into the batter’s box against Kentucky pitcher Kelsey Nunley.

Nunley was aggressive in the circle and shut down the potent Cajuns’ offense, holding UL to only one hit in a 4-1 win in the opening round of the NCAA Women’s College World Series at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium.

UL suffered it’s first loss of the postseason and now will have to fight its way from the losers’ bracket. The Cajuns will have beat Oklahoma — who lost 6-2 to Alabama — on Saturday afternoon to stay alive in the double-elimination tournament.

Nunley walked five batters, but only gave up one hit – a solo home run by catcher Lexie Elkins in the first inning – while striking out seven batters.

"Kelsey threw hard today," Kentucky head coach Rachel Lawson said. "Her pitches had a lot of bite to them. They were spinning tight and I don’t think they were ready for them."

The Cajuns haven’t seen a pitcher like Nunley this season; a pitcher with great velocity and control of her pitches. That maybe the reason UL was held to its lowest hitting performance of the season.

But when you ask the coaches and the players, they say it just wasn’t their night.

"On the big stage, you want to play your best softball, and that’s not what happened tonight," head coach Michael Lotief said. "Whether it’s softball or any kind of athletics, this happens all the time. Like the Denver Broncos and Peyton Manning, you get on that big stage, you prepare, you’re ready, you’ve worked hard and want to do your best. The venue’s good, everything’s rolling, and you don’t play your best."

The night started on a sour note as a throwing error from shortstop Corin Voinche put UK’s Nikki Sagermann on first, then later scored on a RBI double from Lauren Cumbess. UL responded with a solo blast to left field off the bat of Elkins to tie the game after an inning.

Kentucky took control of the game in the second as the Wildcats scored on a sacrifice fly RBI from designated player Ginny Carroll that scored Krystal Smith, who doubled to lead off the inning.

The big blow came off the bat of Cumbess, who hit a solo homer to left-center field to put the Wildcats up 3-1 in the fourth inning.

UK (50-17) added another run in the sixth inning off of a throwing error by pitcher Christina Hamilton, whose throw hit off of the glove of first baseman Kelsey Vincent, allowing pinch runner Maisie Steed to score all the way from first base.

Hamilton, who had been strong in the circle all season long, picked up the loss despite giving up only five hits and three walks. Only two of the four runs were earned by her.

"I felt that I didn’t do a good job of hitting my spots and make my pitches like they’re supposed to," Hamilton said. "They had some good at-bats, but for the most part, it was inconsistency at pitching."

Now with little room for error left, UL (49-9-1) must get back on track against a softball powerhouse to keep its national title hopes alive.

"We have to have a short-term memory," Lotief said. "You can’t be labeled after one performance. But now it’s about fighting and surviving, and that’s what we’re going to do."