March 5, 2002
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
MOREHEAD, Ky. – The University of Kentucky pounded out 10 runs and a UK record three home runs in game two as the Wildcats swept Morehead State at University Softball Field on Tuesday, March 5. The Wildcats won the first game of the double-header, 4-3, in eight innings, and the second, 10-2, in five innings. With the sweep, UK improved to 12-7 while Morehead State dropped to 2-6. The two wins also gave UK Coach Beth Kirchner wins No. 199 and 200 of her 10-year career.
Game two started off with a bang for UK as freshman Jessica Nance belted her first career home run, a grand slam over the scoreboard in left-center for a 4-1 UK lead after the top of the second. Freshman pitcher Meghan Cooper also took her first career jog around the bases, drilling the ball over the centerfield fence for a three-run home run in the top of the third, upping UK’s lead to 7-2. Senior Andy Eilertson then hit a two-run home run to left-center, extending the UK lead to 10-2 after the top of the fourth and setting the UK team record for round-trippers in a game with three.
Cooper got the win in game two, throwing 5.0 innings and allowing three hits and two runs, only one of which was earned. She is now 5-2 on the year with an ERA of 1.99
In the first game of the day, junior Nikki Jones’ single to right in the top of the eighth scored Nance from third and broke a 3-3 tie as the Cats defeated the Eagles, 4-3, in eight innings for UK’s fourth extra-inning win of the season. Senior hurler Jennifer Howland got the win, throwing 7.0 innings and allowing four hits and three runs. Cooper earned the save for her one inning of work, the first save of her career.
MSU got on the board first as junior Toni Orr hit a two-run home run in the second for the early 2-0 Eagle lead. UK responded by getting one run in the top of the fifth as senior Beth Fogle, who set a UK single-game record by going 5-for-5 with five singles and tied another with three stolen bases in game one, scored from second on junior Lyndsey Angus’ single to right to close the gap to 2-1.
UK took a 3-2 lead in the top of the sixth as sophomore Rachel Friberg and senior Jennifer Howland both scored. Friberg, who doubled with one out, scored on Howland’s triple, the second of Howland’s career. Howland then came home as freshman Brook Bowman doubled to left.
The Eagles would not quit, however, tying the game in the bottom of the seventh thanks to two Wildcat errors, forcing the extra frame.
“I was very happy the way we battled back in the first game,” Kirchner said. “To be down and then to come back and not lose our composure when they tied it in the seventh says a lot about the makeup of our team. In the second game, I think we came out ready to play. Jessica Nance’s home run was a beautiful shot, as were the other two. Hopefully our bats can stay hot this weekend.”
The Wildcats are now 12-1 all-time against the Eagles, winning the last 12. The five-inning win in game two was the fifth time this season that UK has had the eight-run mercy rule invoked, all Wildcat triumphs.
UK will return to the field on Saturday, March 9, as the Wildcats play host to the UK Invitational Tournament. The field includes Eastern Kentucky, Evansville, Illinois State, Kent State and Ohio. The tournament begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday and the Cats first take to the field at 5 p.m. against Kent State.
Game OneKentucky 00001201-4 13 4Morehead State02000010-3 4 3WP: Howland (4-0). LP: Cope (1-3). S: Cooper (1).
Game TwoKentucky 04330-10 13 2Morehead State11000- 2 3 0WP: Cooper (5-2). LP: Hernandez (0-3). S: none.
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