Rethlake’s No Hitter Highlights Doubleheader Sweep of Lipscomb, Miami

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Sophomore pitcher Erin Rethlake recorded her first win of the 2016 season in no-hit fashion on Friday afternoon, no-hitting the Lipscomb Bison in game one of the Frost Classic in Chattanooga as the Kentucky softball team powered its way to a doubleheader sweep of Lipscomb and Miami University. 

Rethlake had 14 strikeouts in the game, more than tripling her previous career high of four set against South Carolina a season ago. The Huntington, Ind., native only walked one in the game, while facing 23 Lipscomb batters and throwing 104 pitches, with 66 of them recorded as strikes. 

Kentucky beat Lipscomb 4-0 before run-ruling the Miami University RedHawks 8-0 in six innings in the second game. With the two wins on Friday to kick off the Frost Classic, Kentucky is now 11-2 on the season through its first 13 games, its best start since a 12-0 beginning to the 2014 season. 

UK will play two games on Saturday, with the first starting at 11 a.m. ET against Eastern Illinois before a 4 p.m. ET showdown with hosts Chattanooga inside Frost Stadium. 

Game 1 – Lipscomb – Box Score (PDF)

Key Stat

14. Pitcher Erin Rethlake had 14 strikeouts in the game, more than tripling her previous career high of four set against South Carolina a season ago. The Huntington, Ind., native only walked one in the game, while facing 23 Lipscomb batters and throwing 104 pitches, with 66 of them recorded as strikes. 

Key Play

In the second inning, freshman Abbey Cheek and senior Nikki Sagermann both had singles to lead off the inning before sophomore Brooklin Hinz stepped to the plate with no outs. On the second pitch of the at-bat, Hinz unloaded a deep home run to leftcenter field to put the Wildcats up 3-0. Those runs would turn out to be the winning ones, as Kentucky sailed to victory from there. 

Key Player

Erin Rethlake was the key defensive player in the game, with her no-hitter. Offensively for Kentucky, Sagermann hit her second home run of the season to straightaway center in the fourth inning, and came around to score on Cheek’s homer in the second – the only Wildcat to score twice in the game. 

Run Recap

In the second inning, freshman Abbey Cheek and senior Nikki Sagermann both had singles to lead off the inning before sophomore Brooklin Hinz stepped to the plate with no outs. On the second pitch of the at-bat, Hinz unloaded a deep home run to leftcenter field to put the Wildcats up 3-0. Those runs would turn out to be the winning ones, as Kentucky sailed to victory from there. UK 3, LIP 0

In the fourth inning – Nikki Sagermann led off the inning with her second home run of the season to right center to give Kentucky the four-run advantage. Sagermann went 2-for-2 in the game with a single, homer and a walk in addition to scoring two runs. FINAL – No. 17 Kentucky 4, Lipscomb 0

Game 2 – Miami (OH) – Box Score (PDF)

Key Stat

7. Seven is the number of runs scored by Kentucky in the second inning, putting the game out of reach for Miami in the early going. 10 batters came to the plate in the inning, and forced Miami to change pitchers midway through the frame. The seven runs scored is the most in a single inning this season by the Kentucky offense. 

Key Play

Freshman Abbey Cheek had the key play in the game, as she launched her third home run of the season and to right center in the bottom of the second inning to break the game open. The three-run bomb scored Katie Reed – who got in with a single – and Sylver Samuel – who walked to put two runners on after it was already 4-0 UK. 

Key Player

Katie Reed. The St. Louis, Mo., native went 3-for-3 in the game, and has now hit safely in all 13 games this season to start her career – the longest in Kentucky softball history to start a career. The 13-game hit streak is just two off the school record for all players – 15 – set by Kara Dill in 2014. 

Run Recap

Kentucky had four hits in a row to start the bottom of the second inning commencing with a double off the top of the wall from catcher Rachel Metzger. That was followed by an infield single from Ansley Smith and then a bunt single from Erin Rethlake to load the bases for Christian Stokes, who came in to pinch hit. Stokes drilled one back up the box to the left side, scoring two to make it 2-0. After a walk by Sylver Samuel, Katie Reed stepped to the plate with runners on first and second with one out. 

Reed hit a hard-hit screamer to the shortstop, who decided to try and get the force at home and overthrew the catcher, allowing a run to score. Cheek then opened the game up with a three-run homer to make it 7-0. UK 7, MIAMI 0

Katie Reed led off the bottom of the sixth with a triple to the gap in right center, and then Cheek brought her home on a walk-off SAC fly to center. FINAL – No. 17 Kentucky 8, Miami (OH) 0

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