May 3, 2000
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky softball team closed out the regular seasonwith two wins over Tennessee to sweep the four-game series from the LadyVols. UK erupted with eight runs in the bottom of the sixth in the openerto defeat UT, 10-2, while putting four runners across in the sixth to downthe Lady Vols 4-0 in the nightcap. The Cats finish the regular season witha 36-27 record overall and 15-13 in the Southeastern Conference.
Junior Leslie Kwiatkowski and freshman Lyndsey Angus led UK’s offensiveexplosion, helping the Cats’ to their first sweep in school history over aSoutheastern Conference opponent in a four-game series. UK outscored theLady Vols, 26-3, in the four-game set.
On the day, Kwiatkowski went 5-for-6 with a double, a triple and hit herfourth home run of the season. She also scored three runs and recorded fourruns batted in. Angus, a native of Leominster, Mass., went 6-for-7,including her first career triple, to go along with two RBI and three runsscored.
“I am very proud of the way we came out ready to play for the SEC EasternDivision crown,” UK coach Beth Kirchner said. “It was an excellent way tosend off our seniors, who have had a huge part in building this program.”
The Cats lead the SEC Eastern Division by three and a half games overFlorida. The Gators have a four-game series against Georgia beginningSaturday in Gainesville, Fla. If Georgia wins one of the four games, UKwill win the SEC East and be the second seed in the upcoming SEC Tournamentnext weekend in Columbus. If the Gators sweep the Bulldogs, the Cats willfinish second in the East and be the tournament’s six seed.
The SEC Tournament will be held, May 11-14, at South Commons Stadium inColumbus, Ga., the same venue that hosted the 1996 Olympic softballtournament.
UK fell behind in the opener, 1-0, on UT catcher Maura Mollet’s RBI-singleto left field, scoring April Phillips who reached on a triple to start thegame. Starting pitcher Keary Camunas was pulled after one-third of aninning and replaced by reliever Morgan Marr.
The Cats took the lead in the bottom of the fourth on Kwiatkowski’stwo-run blast to right off UT starter Leslie Poole. The Lady Vols tied thegame at 2-2, in the top of the sixth on Janette Koshell’s RBI-single thatscored Phillips from third.
In the bottom of the sixth, UK lit up Poole for 10 hits and eight runs asthe Cats’ scored a 10-2 victory in six innings due to the eight-run mercyrule. Marr was strong in relief, scattering just five hits the rest of theway. The freshman hurler from Vienna, Va., improved to 7-7, while Pooledropped to 9-10 with the loss. Tiffany Kruse added a 2-for-4 performance atthe plate for UK with two RBI and scored a run.
In the nightcap, UK’s Jen Howland and UT’s Jackie Beavers were locked in apitchers duel until the bottom of the sixth when the Cats hitback-to-back-to-back doubles off Beavers with two outs.
Nikki Jones and Beth Fogle each popped up for the first two outs of theinning. Angus then came to the plate and singled, as the ball deflected offUT third baseman Amanda Venable’s glove. Kwiatkowski hit a RBI-double toright center that scored Angus, followed by a Kruse double to left center,scoring Kwiatkowski. Shortstop Angie Dal Pozzo belted a double down theleft field line as Kruse came across, giving UK a 3-0 lead. AndreaEilertson, who went 2-for-3, followed with a RBI-single to right center,scoring Dal Pozzo to give the Cats a 4-0 win.
“This season has been much more rewarding in terms of winning and the hardwork by our kids is starting to pay off,” Kirchner said.
R H EUT1 0 0 0 0 12 8 2UK0 0 0 2 0 810 11 1
WP – Camunas, Marr (7-7) and Angus, LP – Poole (9-10),Humphrey and Mollet.2B – Phillips (UT), Venable (UT), 3B – Phillips (UT),Angus (UK), Kwiatkowski (UK), HR – Kwiatkowski (UK).
R H EUT0 0 0 0 0 0 00 5 1UK0 0 0 0 0 4 x4 12 1
WP – Howland (10-7) and Angus, LP -Beavers (14-18) and Mollet.2B – Fletcher (UT), Kwiatkowski (UK), Kruse (UK),Dal Pozzo (UK).Records – UT (27-34, 5-22 SEC), UK (36-27, 15-13)
