April 10, 2012
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Fresh off a critical Southeastern Conference series win over South Carolina this weekend, the Kentucky softball team will remain home for a midweek conference doubleheader with Arkansas beginning on Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET.
The opening game of the doubleheader is slated to air live on Fox Sports South in conjunction with the UK IMG Sports Network. Dick Gabriel, Jenny Hill and Ryan Lemmond will be on the call. The second game will take place approximately 30 minutes following the conclusion of the opening game.
The first 50 fans to enter the park at tomorrow’s game will receive a free UK softball headband. Additionally, the first 25 students will receive a free hot dog and Coke.
The Wildcats (18-21, 5-7 SEC) grabbed a pair of league wins over South Carolina this weekend led by a breakout offensive performance. Kentucky scored 10 runs on 11 hits in the series-clinching win with five different players notching multi-hit games.
For the series, the Wildcats had six players hitting above a .300 clip with freshman Griffin Joiner topping the team with a .444 average. Sophomore Lauren Cumbess logged a .429 clip and also drove in three runs.
Seniors Brittany Cervantes and Rachel Riley led the power as the duo combined for homers in both of the Wildcats’ victories. Cervantes also went yard in the opening game of the series to become the first player this season to hit home runs in three consecutive games.
Riley was also dynamic in the pitching circle with a complete-game shutout win to force a rubber game. She worked all seven frames and struck out five in the win. Senior Chanda Bell earned the series-clinching win with a complete-game effort and 10 strikeouts. It marked the 34th time in her career she has fanned 10 or more batters in a single outing.
Arkansas enters the midweek series with a 19-18 overall record a 3-14 mark in conference action. The Razorbacks dropped the series with Mississippi State last weekend, but roared back for an impressive 13-2 win in the series finale.
Arkansas is paced by a .367 average from Clarisa Navarro. Chelsea Cohen leads the pitching staff with a 12-12 record and a 2.75 ERA.
The Razorbacks lead the all-time series with the Wildcats by a 26-15 record, but the Blue and White have captured the series in each of the previous two seasons including a sweep in Fayetteville, Ark., a year ago.
Live stats and the most up-to-date information regarding the UK softball season can be found at UKathletics.com.
