May 2, 2002
LEXINGTON, Ky. – After waiting one hour and 59 minutes through a rain delay, Kentucky needed eight innings to down visiting Arkansas, 6-5, in a back-and-forth contest on Thursday, May 2 at the UK Softball Complex. The Wildcats, who have now won seven extra-inning games, improve to 23-31, 5-20 Southeastern Conference while the Lady Razorbacks fall to 37-23-1, 13-15 SEC.
“I was pleased with the way we repeatedly battled back today,” UK Coach Beth Kirchner said. “Meghan (Cooper) did an outstanding job for us, both in the circle and at the plate. Hopefully we can carry this momentum into tomorrow’s games and end the season on a positive note.”
Cooper, who finished the game 2-for-3 with a home run, a double and two RBI, also picked up her 12th victory in the circle as she threw a complete game with just one walk. Arkansas’ Valanna Lyons was saddled with the loss, allowing four runs on six hits in 4.1 innings of work. Julie Young led Arkansas at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a runs scored.
The bottom half of the lineup scored all six runs for the Cats, including the game winner in the bottom of the eighth. Freshman Megan Brooks (2-for-4) laced a one-out single into center to get the Cats started in the extra frame. Junior Nikki Jones (1-for-3, RBI) then laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt towards third, but as UA’s third baseman Tiffany Woolley attempted to get her at first, she wildly threw the ball into right field, allowing Brooks to race home from first with the winning run.
Arkansas jumped out on top first, scoring a run in the top of the second. Cooper then got the Cats offense started as she drilled her third home run of the year, a two-run shot to left centerfield, to give the Wildcats a 2-1 lead after two. The home run tied the UK team mark for round-trippers in a year at 20.
The Lady’Backs then responded with two in the top of the third. However, the bottom of the UK lineup answered the call as freshman Jessica Nance’s (1-for-3, 2 RBI) two-RBI double scored senior Sandi Dengler (0-for-2, 2 BB) and Cooper for the 4-3 Wildcat lead after four innings.
Arkansas again took the lead with two runs in the top of the fifth, but the bottom of the UK batting order responded again. Cooper walked to lead off the sixth inning and finally came home as Jones singled through the left side of the infield. The Cats had a chance to open the game up, but Lyons got senior Andy Eilertson to strike out looking with the bases loaded, keeping the game knotted at 5-5 after six innings.
Due to the weather, the second game of the doubleheader was pushed back to Friday. The new starting time for Friday’s senior day doubleheader is noon ET as the Cats close out the regular season.
Arkansas01202000-5 12 2Kentucky02020101-6 9 4WP: Cooper (12-10). LP: Lyons (6-8). S: none.
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