The opening day of the 2023 Oklahoma Tournament was a tough one for the No. 14 Kentucky softball team as they were defeated 18-0 by the top-ranked Oklahoma Sooners. The Sooners took an early lead, scoring three runs in the first inning and four runs in the second inning. However, the game was decided in the fourth inning when Oklahoma put up an impressive 11 runs to seal the victory in just five innings.
Oklahoma pitcher Alex Storako was dominant, throwing a no-hitter in the game and allowing only one batter to reach base. Erin Coffel reached via a hit by pitch in the top of the first, but Storako shut down the Wildcats for the remainder of the game.
Despite the loss, Kennedy Sullivan was the key player for Kentucky, pitching 1.2 innings and allowing three runs during her time in the circle. In the bottom of the third inning, Sullivan turned a double play that briefly stopped the Sooners from scoring.
The game was a tough one for Kentucky, as it tied the program record for the most runs given up in a single game (Florida 2001, LSU 2004). The Wildcats will have to regroup quickly as they face both Oklahoma and Illinois-Chicago on Saturday afternoon in the second day of the tournament. UK will play UIC at 1:30 p.m. ET, followed by a rematch with the Sooners at 4 p.m. ET or 30 minutes after the final out of the UK/UIC game. Kentucky will need to bounce back and play better to have a chance against these tough opponents.