LEXINGTON, Ky. ? The University of Kentucky softball team tried valiantly to mount a seventh-inning comeback with two runs off of four singles, but No. 2 Alabama held on for a 9-4, conference victory Friday night at the UK Softball Complex.
Kentucky (13-11, 1-3) began the bottom half of the seventh frame with a single from freshman Megan Yocke who split the right side of the infield. With two outs on the scoreboard, senior Ashley Dimkich kept the rally going with a single straight up the gut. Freshman Meagan Aull followed suit with a well hit ball to the right side of the shortstop, and then the speedy freshman beat out the throw to load the bases. Sophomore Natalie Smith?s blooper that landed in shallow left field plated two runs, and an error by the left fielder forced Aull to third and Smith rounded all the way to second. The rally ended short when the umpire called a third strike on the outside corner on senior Audrey Meyer.
Second ranked Alabama (25-3, 7-2) pulled away from the Wildcats with a six-run fifth inning, otherwise the Blue and White hung tough. The Crimson Tide had six hits in the inning, three of which going for extra bases to give the visitors a 7-0 lead.
Kentucky did not sit on their heels though, as they responded with two runs in the bottom of the frame. Junior Katie McCarty reached base on a fielder?s choice setting the stage for Kentucky?s senior first baseman Dimkich. With a runner on base, Dimkich took a heavy cut at a ball right down the pipe and sent it over the left field wall for just her second career home run. The long tripper ignited the home crowd and it also brought the Wildcats to within five runs.
Alabama would go on to put two more runs on the board in the seventh inning, before Kentucky followed suit with two runs of their own in their last attempted comeback effort.
Kentucky got seven total hits on the day, led by Dimkich?s 2-for-3 day. Aull also went 2-for-3 at the dish. Meyer extended her career-long hitting streak to five games with the first hit of the day for the Blue and White.
Sophomore right-hander Amber Matousek went the distance for the Wildcats throwing all seven innings while fanning an SEC-season high six batters in today?s contest.
The two teams will meet again Saturday with a doubleheader to complete the three game series. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. at the UK Softball Complex. Complete coverage and live results of the games against Alabama will be available at www.ukathletics.com.
