April 20, 2002

Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky played some of its best softball of the year but it wasn’t enough as No. 5 (USA Today/NFCA) LSU held Kentucky to just seven hits over the course of 14 innings as the Tigers downed the Wildcats, 1-0 and 4-1, in Southeastern Conference action at the UK Softball Complex on Saturday, April 20. The pair of victories moved LSU to 39-8, 19-3 SEC while the Wildcats fall to 21-25, 3-14 SEC.

LSU All-American pitcher Britni Sneed moved to 21-5 on the year as she fanned 15 in a two-hit, complete game shutout for the game one victory while Kristin Schmidt (14-3) was the winner in game two, going the distance and allowing one unearned run on five hits. UK junior Morgan Marr (5-9) pitched masterfully in game one but came up on the short end of the one-run ball game as she allowed just one run on six hits in the complete game effort. Freshman Meghan Cooper (10-9) also pitched well for the Cats as she allowed four runs on seven hits in the game two loss.

“We put together 14 innings of really good softball,” UK Coach Beth Kirchner said. “I was pleased with our pitching. We did a good job of keeping them off balance. However, their pitchers also did a good job of keeping us off balance. If we play the rest of our games with this type of intensity, good things will happen for us.”

Game one was a pitcher’s duel all the way with Marr and Sneed both showing great command in the circle the entire game. The lone run came in the second inning as LSU’s Megann Steege stroked a one-out single to left and raced home from second on Kristin Reeves RBI single to center. Steege just beat the throw home for UK centerfielder Megan Brooks.

From there it was a nip-and-tuck game. Sneed sat down the next six UK hitters all via the strikeout to keep LSU in front. The Tigers had a chance to break the game wide open in the top of the sixth but the UK defense answered the call, getting themselves out of a one-out, bases loaded jam unharmed.

UK junior Lyndsey Angus was the only Wildcat to reach base in the opener, going 2-for-3 with two singles.

The second game had a little different feel to it from the start as the Tigers scored a run in the first, two in the third and one in the fifth to cement the victory. UK did end its conference scoreless streak at 36-innings in the bottom of the third as Angus crossed the plate for UK’s first run in SEC play since the first inning of the third game of the Mississippi State series.

Angus, who had singled with two outs, went to second on senior Sandi Dengler’s single to left and raced home from second as senior Andy Eilertson reached base on an error by LSU third baseman Julie Wiese.

UK tried to mount a comeback in the bottom of the seventh as Megan Brooks reached first on a strikeout-wild pitch, moved to second on an illegal pitch by Schmidt and went to third on Angus’ fourth single of the day, a two-out shot to left. Schmidt slammed the door on the Cats, however, as she enticed Dengler to fly out to right for the day’s final out.

Treena Peel finished the day 1-for-6 with three runs scored for the Tigers while Christy Conner went 3-for-6 with three RBI.

Kentucky, which is now 0-11 all-time vs. LSU, will attempt to break its six-game SEC losing streak in game three of the series on Sunday. The starting time has been changed to noon EDT to accommodate LSU’s travel plans. All the action can be followed live on the Internet at www.UKathletics.com

Game OneLSU             0100000-1 6 0Kentucky        0000000-0 2 1WP: Sneed (21-5). LP: Marr (5-9). S: none.

Game TwoLSU 1020100-4 7 2Kentucky 0010000-1 5 1WP: Schmidt (14-3). LP: Cooper (10-8). S: none.

-UK-