Dal Pozzo Sets School Record by Hitting for Cycle

The University of Kentucky softball team won its first two games of the UKIT Friday night bydowning Kent State 6-1 in their first game of the tournament and out-slugging Akron 12-7 in thenightcap.

The Cats jumped on top early in their first game when right fielder Leslie Kwiatkowski hammered ashot over the fence in right field to lead off the game, giving UK a quick 1-0 lead. Kent Stateanswered in their half of the inning as shortstop Marci Ridenbaugh led off with a single to left,moved to second base on center fielder Danielle Finchum’s single, and scored on LeAnn Fonner’stwo-out single to center field.

Kentucky regained the lead in the top of the second inning when left fielder Tiffany Kruse ledoff with a single to right, designated player Jen Howland grounded out to first, moving Kruse tosecond base. Kruse went to third base on Nikki Jones’ single to left and scored when Kwiatkowskiflied out to left field, giving UK a 2-1 lead.

The Cats added a solo run in the fourth inning when Kruse again led off with a single,advanced to second on a wild pitch by Kent State’s Nichole Karasek, and crossed the plate onKwiatkowski’s two-out single to left field.

UK recorded another insurance run in the fifth when catcher Lindsey Angus led off the inningby drilling her first home run of the season over the left-field fence, giving Kentucky a three-runcushion. The Wildcats pushed two runs across in the sixth inning as Kwiatkowski drew a two-outwalk, stole second base, and scored on Beth Fogle’s single to the left side of the infield. Foglescored from second as Kent State center fielder Finchum misplayed Angie Dal Pozzo’s ball.

Kwiatkowski was 2-2 for the game, with three RBI’s and scored two runs. Dal Pozzo and Krusewere 2-4 for the game, with Kruse also scoring two runs in the contest.

Wildcat starting pitcher Morgan Marr surrendered only one hit after the first inning as thesophomore hurler recorded her tenth complete game and lowered her ERA to 1.76 as sheimproved to 7-3 on the season.

In the Cats’ second game of the tournament Dal Pozzo became the only Wildcat in school historyto hit for the cycle, nailing her third home run of the season in the first inning to drive in three runs.The UK shortstop added a single in the third inning, a triple in the fourth inning, and a double to leftin the sixth. The Livingston, Ill. native was a perfect 4-4, with four RBI’s and also scored four runsagainst the Zips.

UK scored five runs in the bottom of the first inning, with Dal Pozzo’s homer scoring Jones andAngus. Rachel Friberg followed Dal Pozzo’s shot with a single to center and scored on Kruse’stwo-out triple. Starting pitcher Jen Howland drove in Kruse with a single to left field. The Cats addedtwo more runs in the third inning as Andy Eilertson scarificed Dal Pozzo in from third, followed byFriberg scoring on a Kruse single to right field.

The Zips put four runs on the board in the fourth inning as Howland gave up four doubles toAkron hitters, but it was not enough for the visitors as Kentucky added five more runs in the lastthree innings to put the game away. Kentucky starting pitcher Jen Howland recorded her fourth complete game of the season as sheimproved to 4-6.

UK (11-11, 1-1 SEC) returns to action Saturday, March 10, as the Wildcats face SoutheastMissouri at 5 p.m., followed by a 7 p.m. contest against the Indiana Hoosiers.