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The Terrific Ten has you covered on all the best highlights from all the action across college softball on Saturday!
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1. Erin Coffel powers Kentucky to a win over LSU
Kentucky and LSU games always seem to be can’t-miss affairs, and Saturday’s most recent edition in the series was no exception. The Wildcats and Tigers jockeyed for the lead throughout regulation, before a 5-5 tie forced extra innings. In the top of the eighth inning in Baton Rouge, with two runners on base and nobody out, Wildcats slugger Erin Coffel cranked a 3-run home run into the outfield berm seating, giving the Wildcats an 8-5 advantage in what would be the final lead change of the ballgame.
Following the Cats’ win in Friday’s game, Saturday’s win clinched the series victory for UK.
2. UNLV stands tall against Boise State
An early-season series in the Mountain West has significant implications for the conference race; UNLV and Boise State both entered their face-off this weekend in good positions after quality non-conference portions of the year. After winning the first game of the series on Friday, UNLV took home another win in game two on Saturday, clinching the series.
Saturday’s game saw Boise State jump out to an early lead in the bottom of the first before UNLV scored three run in the top of the second inning. A 3-run fourth inning broke the game open for the Rebels, who totaled four home runs in the game.
3. Jenny Jansen, record breaker
Jenny Jansen was the catalyst to the writing of this article; Jansen has never been one for the spotlight and her trophy case isn’t full, but her impact on the Southern Illinois program is immeasurable. Jansen added another SIU program record to her coffers on Saturday, breaking the Salukis’ all-time mark for career hits. The hits record, which had stood since 1997, was broken with Jansen’s 224th career base hit.
4. Terra McGowan returns to the Duck lineup
McGowan actually made her return to the Oregon batting order on Friday, but it took until Saturday’s game to get back into her groove at the plate. Out for several weeks with a hand injury, McGowan returned to the defensive lineup for the first time on Saturday and she recorded her first base knock since February in Saturday night’s affair.
.@terramcgowan11 gets her first hit since Feb. 17! She missed 22 games after being hit with a foul tip on her throwing hand Feb. 18 at Baylor.
M4 | UCLA 3, Ducks 1 #GoDucks 🦆🥎 #Version4 pic.twitter.com/NbvYWQr9v7
— Oregon Softball (@OregonSB) April 3, 2022
The Ducks would lose 5-2 to UCLA, though McGowan also contributed defensively, throwing out a pair of runners trying to steal.
5. Ball State breaks out the brooms
Ball State was clicking on all cylinders for their conference series against Kent State on Friday and Saturday, and the Cardinals finished off the series sweep with an 11-3 win in Saturday’s finale. The Cardinals reached double-digit wins on the season with the victory and also moved above .500 in conference play for the first time this season (3-2).
The run-rule win on Saturday included a pair of 2-run home runs from Faith Hensley and a 3-run shot off the bat of Kayla Lissy. The Cardinals outscored their opponents 23-9 in the weekend series.