COLUMBUS, Ohio ? After struggling to find its offensive rhythm in conference play, the University of Kentucky softball team matched a program-record 16-0 win in game two of a doubleheader against Ohio State Wednesday. The Wildcats plated the 16 scores off of 13 hits and four Buckeye errors to match the biggest win in school history.
Ohio State (26-17) claimed game one with a 6-3 win to open up the doubleheader before Kentucky?s (16-28) onslaught in game two. In addition to the program-scoring record, sophomore Molly Johnson matched a UK record with four runs scored in the five innings of play. Junior Katie McCarty claimed a personal-best three-hit performance and hometown-girl freshman Annie Rowlands blasted her second career-home run in the eight-run fifth inning.
Sophomore pitcher Amber Matousek tossed her second career shut out in the dominating win. Matousek also earns her 10th win of the season after throwing all five innings while fanning three batters, including two of the last three batters she faced.
In the nightcap, UK got off to another quick start scoring two runs in the top of the first to jump out to an early two run advantage. Kentucky got a little help from the Ohio State defense as both runs came around to score unearned off of Buckeye errors. Freshman Megan Yocke reached base on a called base on balls and moved to second on an error by the third baseman who mishandled a ball off of the bat of Johnson. Both runners scored on freshman Meagan Aull?s at-bat. The freshman drilled a ball into left field and the Buckeye defensive player muffed the catch allowing UK?s runs to tally and Aull to reach second. The added scoring threat ended on a groundout.
Kentucky earned another prime scoring opportunity in the top half of the second frame as they loaded the bases, however the inning ended on a pop-up to short. McCarty and senior Audrey Meyer both corralled base hits into shallow right-field and Yocke earned her second walk of the game. However, the third out of the inning prevent additional Wildcat scores.
Once again, the Wildcats were able to convert on an Ohio State miscue in the top half of the third. Johnson led off with a single through the left side. Aull attempted a sacrifice bunt, but a high throw by the third baseman, allowed her to reach base. Johnson?s stellar base-running guided her all the way home as the Buckeyes attempted to tag Aull who moved to second. Senior Ashley Dimkich grounded out to third base, but Aull was able to shift to third in the process putting another runner in prime scoring position. McCarty?s infield single scored Aull from third. With the added run Kentucky advanced its lead to 4-0.
Meyer led things off in the fourth giving UK some additional offense as the Wildcats took an 8-0 lead after plating four tallies in the top half of the inning. The senior reached on a fielding error, the fourth of the game by the Buckeyes, and scored on Yocke?s double into center field. Smith kept things moving with an infield single as she laid down a spectacular bunt that died in the dirt about three feet done the first base line. Yocke advanced to third, putting runners on the corners with no outs. Johnson singled into right field, as Smith rounded to the third base bag. The sophomore then swiftly stole second, her 16th of the season, putting both runners in scoring position. Aull?s timely single through the right-side scored both Smith and Johnson, who combined to score five of UK?s eight runs.
McCarty led off the fifth frame with a double into left center. The third hit of the game for the junior sets a new career-high for hits in a single game. Mordecai found a gap in left-center putting runners on the corners with no outs for the second consecutive inning. Meyer reached base with a walk to load the bases. Kentucky?s first run of the inning came home after Yocke was struck by a pitch in the leg. The Buckeye defense stiffened getting a force-out at home after Smith grounded to the shortstop. Johnson then registered a two-run double over the head of the right-fielder to bring her RBI total to 35 on the season. Aull followed with an RBI single up the middle to give Kentucky a 12-0 advantage. Dimkich then got in on the action with a run-scoring single up the middle. Johnson rounded home for her fourth run of the game, matching a program-record four-score game. The sophomore scored in each time at-bat in five innings of action. Rowlands then added to the margin with a three-run home run that was blasted over the center field wall giving UK the 16-0 final margin.
In game one of the doubleheader, Meyer led off with a single into right-center from her leadoff hitting position. The Wildcats were able to plate Meyer in the first taking an early 1-0 lead. Yocke pushed Meyer to second a sacrifice bunt along the first base line. Sophomore Natalie Smith?s groundout to second base allowed Meyer to advance to third. After Johnson reached on a walk, Meyer was able to come home during Aull?s at-bat. Aull sent a well-hit ball to the third baseman. Ohio State?s Rachael Shepherd?s high throw to first base allowed Aull to reach on the throwing error, and Meyer crossed the plate.
The Wildcats were able to get out of a jam in the bottom half of the second, after loading the bases by hitting two batters and walking another, sophomore right-hander was able to get two strikeouts to end the inning without allowing a run to score.
Kentucky added another run in the top of the second. Freshman Sam DeMartine tallied a single that fell into the cap in right-center, but was out at second when sophomore Destinee Mordecai reached on a fielder?s choice. Meyer tacked on her second hit of the game with a single that split the right-side of the infield. Yocke?s single up the middle brought Mordecai home for the 2-0 lead.
The home squad Buckeyes climbed out in front with a four-run second inning. The Buckeyes got four runs off of three hits, and got two additional base runners with a hit-by-pitch and a walk. All four runs were brought in on back-to-back doubles to take a 4-2 advantage. Ohio State added an additional run in the bottom half of the fourth. The Buckeyes scored the run on back-to-back hits, but the Wildcats got out of the jam as the home squad squandered two runners on base, but upped their lead to 5-2.
Kentucky?s sophomore tandem of Smith and Johnson combined to plate a run in the top of the fifth to bring the score to 5-3. Smith led off with a triple that hit a gap in right-center and rolled to the wall allowing her to use her speed and round all the way to third. Johnson, hitting in the clean-up position, battled to a 3-2 count and singled through the right-side of the infield plating Smith.
Ohio State tacked on an additional run in the bottom of the sixth to bring the score to its final 6-3 margin. The Buckeyes scored after notching three base hits in the inning.
The Wildcats will next be in action when they travel to Gainesville, Fla., for a conference set with Florida. The Gators are currently ranked in the top-10 nationally. Complete coverage of the three-game series with Florida can be found by visiting ukathletics.com.
