LEXINGTON, Ky. ? The University of Kentucky softball team ended up on the short end of two games in their double header losses to conference-foe South Carolina Saturday at the UK Softball Complex. The Gamecocks claimed victories by the scores of 5-3 and 4-3.
Kentucky (13-16, 1-7) surrendered a three-run lead by giving up four runs in the top of the seventh in the second game of the day to drop both games to their conference foes.
The Wildcats jumped out to an early 1-0 lead to begin the game with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Senior Audrey Meyer singled in her first at-bat of the game, followed by a single from freshman Megan Yocke that split the left side of the defense. Sophomore Natalie Smith hit into a fielder?s choice that put runners on the corners. Sophomore Molly Johnson tallied her ninth double of the season to score the first run of the game for the Blue and White.
Kentucky would plate an additional tally in the second inning to stretch its lead to 2-0. Freshman Meagan Aull singled to center field and then promptly stole second. Meyer hit a hard ball at the third baseman and a throwing error by the Gamecocks allowed Aull to score.
The Blue and White put another run on the board in the bottom of the fourth giving them a 3-0 advantage. Aull got things going again for the offense as she reached base on a walk. The freshman advanced to second on a Meyer groundout. Yocke?s second single of the day plated Aull from second giving the home team the three-run lead.
Kentucky?s defense and sophomore pitcher Jennifer Young held the Gamecocks scoreless through six innings and the home team was just three outs away from splitting the opening day with South Carolina. The Gamecocks used six hits and a costly Wildcat error to come from behind and score four runs in the final frame to take the lead. UK could not come up with an offensive response in the bottom of the seventh to fall 4-3.
In game one of the doubleheader, South Carolina jumped out to a 2-0 lead by scoring two runs in the top of the first inning off of three hits to open the game.
Kentucky would score two runs in the bottom of the third to knot the score at two through three innings. Aull walked to put a runner on base. Meyer then hit her first triple of the season when she found a gap in right-center field. Aull was able to score from first base and Meyer rounded home on the same play as the South Carolina second baseman tossed an errant throw towards third base.
The Wildcats took the lead in the bottom of the fifth by tallying one run in the frame. Aull once again was the offensive spark as she singled up the middle. Meyer drove her second hit of the game into left center. The speedy Wildcats then advanced a base each on a double-steal. Yocke sent a deep fly ball to left field and Aull scored on a sacrifice fly.
South Carolina reclaimed the lead for good with a three-run sixth inning. The Gamecocks plated their runs on two hits and another costly fielding error by UK.
Aull led the offense going 2-for-4 combined and scoring four runs. The freshman also reached base on two walks. Meyer went 3-for-7 with a triple, an RBI and a run scored. Johnson hit a double and went 2-for-3 in game two and plated her team-leading 21st run of the season. Yocke added a 2-for-6 day with two RBI and a run scored.
Sophomore Amber Matousek tossed seven innings in game one and sat two batters down on strikes and yielded just two earned runs. Young went 6.1 innings in the second game, and then Matousek came in relief and pitched the final 0.2 innings.
The Wildcats and South Carolina will close out the series with a 1 p.m. start at the UK Softball Complex Sunday. Live stats and complete coverage of the game can be found by visiting www.ukathletics.com.
