The Kentucky Wildcats found themselves on the wrong end of a pitching masterclass Wednesday night as they were shut out by No. 16 Virginia Tech, 2-0, at John Cropp Stadium. The loss drops the No. 23 Wildcats to 17-7 on the season, while the Hokies improved to 20-5.
Emma Lemley Dominates in the Circle
Virginia Tech ace Emma Lemley put on a performance for the ages, throwing a complete-game no-hitter while striking out nine batters and walking only one across 92 pitches. Lemley’s dominant outing kept Kentucky’s offense off-balance all night, never allowing the Wildcats to string anything together at the plate.
The only Kentucky batter to reach base was Ella Emmert, who drew a walk in the sixth inning to break up the perfect game. Otherwise, it was a flawless showing from Lemley, who improved her record to 10-3 on the season.
Missed Opportunities for Kentucky
The Wildcats’ struggles at the plate weren’t due to lack of effort. Despite several hard-hit balls, nothing found its way past the Virginia Tech defense. Kentucky managed just one baserunner the entire game, leaving them with nothing to show for their efforts.
On the defensive side, Kentucky pitcher Sarah Haendiges delivered a solid performance of her own, going the distance while allowing six hits, two runs, and three walks over seven innings. Haendiges struck out four Hokies across 101 pitches but ultimately fell to 4-2 on the year.
Virginia Tech Strikes Early
The Hokies wasted no time getting on the board, with Courtney McMillan doubling to right field and eventually scoring on a sacrifice fly from Jayme Jones in the first inning. They tacked on another run in the fourth inning when Blair Peck drove in N. Abromavage, who pinch-ran for Z. Yaeger following a double.
Despite outlasting Lemley in terms of pitches thrown, Haendiges couldn’t quite match her counterpart’s precision. Virginia Tech’s ability to take advantage of scoring opportunities proved to be the difference.
Looking Ahead
Kentucky will need to quickly shake off this loss as SEC play looms ahead. With a tough conference schedule on the horizon, the Wildcats will be looking to get their bats back on track to support the efforts of Haendiges and the rest of the pitching staff.
It was a frustrating night for the Wildcats, but they’ll have opportunities to bounce back and prove themselves against high-caliber competition.
No-hitters are rare, and even rarer against a ranked opponent. Kentucky’s lineup will need to find answers moving forward, but there’s no doubt the Wildcats are capable of turning things around.
Stay tuned as Kentucky softball looks to regroup and come back stronger against top 5 LSU.