Softball faces Florida next in elimination game.
COLUMBUS, Ga. (May 11, 2000) — The University of Kentuckysoftball team fell to the 25th-ranked South CarolinaLady Gamecocks, 2-1, in the first round of the 2000Southeastern Conference Softball TournamentThursday at the South Commons Softball Complex.
UK led 1-0 going into the top of the seventh but wasunable to put USC away to capture the opener. Nextup for the Cats will be an elimination game at noon onFriday, May 12 against the Florida Gators. UFdropped a 1-0 decision to 11th-ranked Alabama in thefirst round Thursday.
“It is very difficult to lose a game that we were soclose to winning,” UK coach Beth Kirchner said.”(USC starting pitcher) Megan Matthews kept us offbalance, and we didn’t have one of our typicaloffensive games.”
In the fifth inning, Jennifer Howland reached on anerror by USC shortstop Kendra McCutcheon andadvanced to second on the throw with two out.Freshman Nikki Jones’ bunt single moved Howland tothird, however USC third baseman Sondra Halloverthrew first base trying to get Jones out at first as Howland came home togive the Cats a 1-0 lead.
Three straight USC singles off UK starter Keary Camunas, loaded the baseswith one out in the seventh. Pinch hitter Heather Culver struck swinging for thesecond out of the inning. Lady Gamecock designated player Debralee Troeshfollowed with a single down the right field line, scoring Jodi Fittro >from thirdbase and Megan Donohoo from second as USC went on to a 2-1 victory.
Matthews, who struck out eight, improved to 22-14, while Camunas dropped to19-14 on the season.
R H EUSC 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 - 2 10 2UK 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 - 1 4 1WP Matthews (22-14) and Genovese; LP Camunas (19-14) and Angus. RecordsUSC (36-25); UK (36-28).
Eleven Cats Named Academic All-SEC Honors:
UK and Ole Miss topped the list of 2000 SEC Softball Academic Honor Rollhonorees with 11 selections.
Seniors Colleen Boddy, Michelle Bucci, Keary Camunas, Sarah Snider, juniorsTiffany Kruse and Leslie Kwiatkowski, along with Angie Dal Pozzo, SandiDengler, Beth Fogle, Jennifer Howland, and Tracie Potts were named AcademicAll-SEC.
To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must: 1) have a 3.0 grade pointaverage for either the past year (two semesters or three quarters) or acumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher for their career; 2) be a sophomore or higher interms of academic classification; 3) and have 24 semester or 36 quarter hourstoward their degree.
