Every Tuesday, UK Athletics recognizes outstanding performances for our student-athletes.
These are the honorees for the week ending Sunday, Apr. 17:
Softball: Chanda Bell
Junior Chanda Bell had an impressive performance in helping UK to a pair of wins over Tennessee Tech and run its season record to 31 wins. Bell suffered a minor injury earlier in the week and was held out of the Marshall series for precautionary reasons.
She entered the Tennessee Tech game in the top of the fifth to toss an inning of relief and help preserve the shutout. Bell threw just nine pitches – all strikes to sit down the Golden Eagles in order with three straight strikeouts.
The right-hander was called into duty in the nightcap of the doubleheader with UK trailing 2-1, with the bases loaded and one out in the third. Bell promptly entered the game and forced consecutive strikeouts to work her way out of the jam. She yielded her lone hit in the fourth frame as the Golden Eagles benefited from an error in the inning that would have ended the threat.
From there, however, Bell was unstoppable. She tossed the remaining six innings of extra-inning ball flawlessly. She did not allow a single base runner the rest of the way, and went on to throw 16 strikeouts – to match her own UK single-game high. She has now thrown 10 or more strikeouts in 32 career games. Her 19 strikeouts helped push her single-season total to 176, which is the third highest number for a single season in UK history (with Bell owning the first two spots as well).
Softball: Lauren Cumbess
Freshman Lauren Cumbess was a two-way threat for the Wildcats in helping lead UK to a 4-0 week. Cumbess was a game-changer at the plate and led the pitching staff with two wins on the week. At the dish, she batted .500, which included a game-tying single in the sixth inning. With UK trailing 3-2 to Tennessee Tech in the nightcap, Cumbess was inserted into the lineup in a pinch-hitting situation and delivered an RBI-single into left field to plate the game-tying run and help UK complete the eventual comeback. In the circle, Cumbess worked 9.0 innings of action on the week, earning two victories. She gave up under one hit an inning, while allowing just one walk and striking out seven. She teamed with relief pitcher Chanda Bell for her third shutout of the season in the opening win of the Tennessee Tech series.
Men’s golf: Chase Parker
Sophomore Chase Parker saved his best day at the Southeastern Conference Championships for last, earning a 1-under-par 69 to finish the 54-hole tournament tied for 12th. The native of Augusta, Ga., had four birdies in the final round. Parker finished the tournament at 5-over-par 215 for his second consecutive top-22 showing at the SEC Championships.
Softball: Rachel Riley
Junior Rachel Riley was instrumental in leading UK to a 4-0 week and helping eclipse the 30-win plateau for the third consecutive season -a feat never before achieved in school history. Riley paced the team with a .538 batting average and three homers on the week. She currently owns a career-long hitting streak of six games and has reached base safely in eight straight contests.
In the nightcap of a doubleheader with Marshall, Riley became the fourth different UK player to hit two home runs in a single game with a pair of blasts in the first and sixth innings. Riley also earned the win on the mound in that game as she worked 5.0 innings of relief action to post her ninth victory of the season.
In the nightcap of a doubleheader with Tennessee Tech, Riley provided additional heroics for the Blue and White. With UK trailing 3-1, Riley came up with her third home run of the week to bridge the game to just one run with the solo shot in the fourth frame. Riley’s six homers on the season is a new career-best in that category. Riley has also bested her career-highs in runs scored, hits, doubles, RBI, total bases and walks in her junior campaign.
Men’s tennis: Anthony Rossi
Completed Kentucky’s come-from-behind win against No. 29 Vanderbilt in its regular-season finale by posting a comeback win at No. 5 singles in a three-set tiebreaker. With UK trailing 3-1, the Wildcats earned three consecutive points with Rossi finishing off the Commodores by winning the third-set tiebreaker 7-4. The win continued Rossi’s undefeated streak in Southeastern Conference play. The Frenchmen is now 8-0 this season against SEC foes.
Women’s tennis: Jessica Stiles
Sophomore Jessica Stiles defeated Vanderbilt’s Jackie Wu 6-0, 6-0 at No. 2 singles.
