Feb. 13, 2011
MIAMI – The Kentucky softball team provided another thrilling finish, but could not repeat its comeback effort from a day earlier falling 3-2 to Memphis in the fourth game of the FIU Combat Classic for the Blue and White. UK left 10 base runners aboard for the game as the offense left the bases loaded twice in the contest.
Kentucky falls to 3-1 on the season, while Memphis improves to 3-2 overall. Senior Meagan Aull led the UK bats with two hits in the game. Junior pitcher Rachel Riley takes the loss on the mound throwing 2.1 innings and yielding three runs. Classmate Chanda Bell worked 3.2 scorless frames in relief and tossed four strikeouts.
Trailing by three going into the sixth stanza, UK tallied a pair of runs in the top of the sixth to rally to within one at 3-2. Following an opening out, the Wildcats put two runners aboard as junior Brittany Cervantes was hit by pitch and freshman Ellen Weaver drew a walk.
Kentucky then rallied for its two runs with two outs on the scoreboard. Freshman Lauren Cumbess got things started with a single into left-center which scored Cervantes from second. Sophomore Kara Dill then doubled over the center fielder’s head to bring in Cumbess for the second run of the inning. Senior Megan Yocke drew a walk to load the bases, but the inning ended with the bases full with a fly out to left.
In a last-ditch comeback effort, freshman Emily Jolly was plucked with a pitch to put a base runner aboard in the final frame. Despite a pair of well-hit balls, UK would fall in order leaving its 10 runner on base in the game.
Kentucky came out of the gate hitting with a pair of singles in the top half of the fifth, however UK would strand both base runners. Aull earned the first hit of the day with a single up the middle and senior Samantha DeMartine followed suit with a single into left field.
For the second consecutive game UK allowed its opponent to strike for a pair of runs in the opening frame. Memphis struck first with a two-run home run to take the early 2-0 edge.
Memphis tacked on an addition run in the home half of the third to go up 3-0. The Tigers once again benefited from a walk, as the batter who earned a base rounded home to score on a single later in the inning.
DeMartine led off the top of the fourth by reaching base after getting struck with a pitch. Jolly shifted the runner into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, but UK would sit down in order the rest of the way leaving the runner stranded.
Bell escaped a jam in the bottom of the fourth after allowing two Tiger batters to reach base following a hit by pitch and a walk, Bell was able to force consecutive outs to end the threat despite the runners advancing into scoring position.
The Wildcats had one of its best chances of the game in the top of the fifth inning. Pinch hitter Ginny Carroll led off the inning by drawing a walk. Following two terrific snags on deep fly balls, Yocke drew another walk to place two runners aboard. Aull then delivered her second hit of the game with a single up the gut, but UK would leave all three runners aboard following a line out to third base.
Kentucky resumes play with its final game of the FIU Combat Classic at 2 p.m. ET against North Florida.
Complete coverage of the Wildcat softball team all season long can be found at UKathletics.com.
