BLOOMINGTON, Ind. ? The University of Kentucky softball team fell to 18-24 on the year today after dropping a doubleheader at Indiana (20-17-1). The Hoosiers took game one by a score of 2-0 and won the nightap by a final of 6-5 in nine innings.
IU?s Mariangee Bogado tossed her second career no-hitter in the afternoon?s opening game. The senior struck out 12 Wildcats and did not walk a batter. Katie Campbell was the first baserunner for the Cats when she reached on an error by the Hoosier third baseman to lead off the top of the fifth. She was stranded at second after Bogado retired the side in order. The Cats had just one other baserunner in the game when Meghan Cooper was hit by a pitch and went to second on a wild pitch with one out. Bogado struck out the next two batters to end the threat and hand the Cats the 2-0 loss.
The Hoosiers scored both their runs in the home half of the third after Heather Hohs singled to left center and scored on a two-run homer by Bogado who helped her own cause and improved to 12-7 on the year.
Jessica Trueblood took the loss for Kentucky, giving up two runs on seven hits in 6.0 innings of work. Trueblood struck out five in the loss and, for the third consecutive outing, she did not walk a batter.
The Wildcats wasted no time breaking up the no-hitter in game two. Lori Melchi led off the game with a single to left and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Megan Miller. Melchi came around to score the Cats? first run of the day on Cooper?s RBI single to left-center.
The Hoosiers took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first on four hits, including a pair of doubles, off UK starter Amy Kendall.
Following a scoreless second, the Cats loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the third. Melchi reached on an error by the IU center fielder and Miller reached on a fielder?s choice. Cooper was hit by her team-leading 13th pitch of the year to load the bases for cleanup hitter Katie Campbell. The junior catcher drew a walk to score Melchi from third and tie the game at two runs apiece. Gina Florence reached on a fielder?s choice but Miller was thrown out the plate for the second out of the inning. UK added its third run of the inning when Megan Glenn was hit by a pitch to plate Cooper and give the Cats a 3-2 lead.
IU knotted the score in the bottom of the frame as Bogado reached on an error, went to second on a sacrifice and scored on a sacrifice fly.
Kentucky took a two-run lead in the top of the fourth. Ali Ray singled to left and went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Melchi. A single by Miller put runners at the corners and Cooper walked to fill the bases for Campbell who singled to drive in a pair of runs and give the Cats a 5-3 lead.
The Wildcat defense continued to play well behind Kendall. Shortstop Ashley Fertic threw a strike to Campbell covering at the plate to erase a would-be Hoosier run in the bottom of the fourth.
The Hoosiers tied the game again in the bottom of the fifth on a two-run homer by Kim Richards off Kendall. Samantha Allen relieved the senior in the fifth and retired the side in order to end the IU threat.
Bogado relieved game-two starter Megan Roark in the top of the sixth and continued to silence the UK bats. Bogado sat down four straight batters before walking Fertic with one out. Fertic went to second on a sac bunt, but was stranded at second when Glenn was called out on a close play at first to end the seventh inning.
Allen did the same for the Wildcats as she retired the first four batters she faced. The sophomore walked the first two batters in the bottom of the seventh. The lead runner went to third when Richards reached on a fielder?s choice that erased the runner at second. The Wildcats ended the inning when Glenn and Campbell turned a double play to end the inning and send the game to extra innings.
The Hoosiers won the game in the bottom of the ninth when Lindsay Brogdon hit the leadoff batter and then gave up a double to left-center field to give IU the go-ahead and winning run.
Brogdon falls to 3-2 on the year with the loss, while Brogado (13-7) was credited with the win. The Hoosiers outhit the Cats 9-5 in the second contest.
The Wildcats return to action this Friday, Apr. 14, when they host Arkansas at 6 p.m. in the first game of a three-game Southeastern Conference series. The series wraps up with a doubleheader on Saturday, Apr. 15, scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
