No. 12 Kentucky Splits at Ohio Powered by Abbey Cheek’s Homer
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
ATHENS, Ohio – Powered by Abbey Cheek’s
second home run in the last three games, freshman slugger Abbey Cheek clubbed
her fifth home run in the top of the first inning of the second game of a
doubleheader, which would be all the No. 12 Kentucky pitching staff would need
to take one game from the Bobcats in a doubleheader in Athens on Tuesday
afternoon.
Kentucky would take game two, 3-1, after
dropping a 1-0 extra-inning affair in the opening game of the doubleheader. The
Wildcats are now 31-5 on the season with the 1-1 day on the road in Athens, and
remain at 8-1 in Southeastern Conference play, tied atop the standings with
Florida in the league through three weeks of play.
UK hosts No. 3 Auburn for a three-game series
this weekend at John Cropp Stadium in Lexington, with nearly 1,000 tickets sold
for the games this weekend already. Fans should contact the UK Ticket Office at
859-257-1818 if they are interested in the remaining tickets for the series,
which are going fast.
Game 1 – Ohio 1, Kentucky 0
Key Stat
One. Kentucky was held to a season-low one hit
in the game, which was a Nikki Sagermann double in the fourth inning to lead off
the inning.
Key Play
With a runner on third and two outs in the
inning, Ohio won the game on a walk-off defensive error by the Wildcats
producing the only run in the game.
Key Player
Kelsey Nunley was the key player in the game,
pitching 7.1 scoreless innings in the game, keeping UK in the contest despite
the lackluster offense. Nunley had eight strikeouts and just one walk
Run Recap
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Ohio
plated the winning run playing small ball, to pick up the win. Michaela Dorsey
led off the frame with a single up the middle to give OU a leadoff baserunner
in the inning. After a flyout to left and a stolen base, Dorsey moved to third
with one out. Meagan Prince then entered the game with one out, and got a
groudout to first to move the runner to third and record the second out of the
inning. Center fielder Deanna Cole then stepped up with two strikes and was
safe at first on an error and walked off Dorsey with the game-winning run. FINAL
– Ohio 1, No. 12 Kentucky 0
Game 2 –
Key Stat
14. Meagan Prince recorded her team-leading 14th
win of the season, as she has now started the season 14-0 becoming the first UK
pitcher to ever win 14 consecutive games.
Key Play
Abbey Cheek hit a three-run home run in the
top of the first inning with Nikki Sagermann and Brooklin Hinz on the
basepaths. Sagermann had a one-out single up the middle, and Hinz walked on
five pitches before Cheek powered one over the wall in right center to score
the game-winning runs.
Key Player
Shannon Smith was the key player in the game,
going 3.1 innings only allowing two hits and one walk, while striking out two
batters was key in the middle part of the game.
Run Recap
Abbey Cheek hit a three-run home run in the
top of the first inning with Nikki Sagermann and Brooklin Hinz on the
basepaths. Sagermann had a one-out single up the middle, and Hinz walked on
five pitches before Cheek powered one over the wall in right center to score
the game-winning runs. FINAL – No. 12 Kentucky 3, Ohio 1
For the latest on the Kentucky softball team, follow @UKSoftball on Twitter, Instagram
and Facebook, as well as on the web at UKathletics.com.
