May 6, 1999
The University of Kentucky softball team (22-41, 5-19 SEC) will travel toKnoxville, Tenn., this weekend to take on SEC-rival Tennessee in afour-game series that will conclude the Wildcats’ 1999 season.The doubleheader on Friday will begin at 6 p.m., while Saturday’sdoubleheader is set for a 1 p.m. start.
Leading UK into battle this weekend is sophomore Leslie Kwiatkowski.Kwiatkowski, a native of South Bend, Ind., leads UK in seven offensivecategories. The center fielder is tied for fifth in the SEC with 74 hitsand is sixth in hitting with a .383 batting average.
Sophomore Tiffany Kruse, who is hitting .347 this season, is tied forsecond in the SEC with five triples and is ninth in hits with 68. As ateam, the Cats are batting .260 on the season.
UK hurler Keary Camunas leads the Wildcat pitching staff with a 2.61earned run average and a 13-19 record this season. The junior has pitched214.2 innings, second most in the SEC, and owns 153 strikeouts. AgainstFlorida on April 13, Camunas struck out a school record 13 batters.
Tennessee (39-22, 14-10) currently sits in second place and can win theSEC Eastern Division with a four-game sweep over the Wildcats this weekend.
South Carolina is three games ahead of UT in the standings, but theGamecocks finished their regular season last weekend. UT would win thetiebreaker between the two teams by virtue of 3-1 record against USC thisyear.
The Volunteers enter the series as one of the nation’s most potentoffensive squads. UT is the best hitting team in the SEC and is thefourth-best hitting team in the nation (.331). They are averaging 5.84runs per game this season, 11th best nationally.
Individually, UT has four players in the top ten in hitting in the SEC,led by senior Lisa Warren with a clip of .404. Warren also leads the Volsin at bats (208), runs (56), and hits (84).
Junior Amanda Venable is a power hitter with a .382 batting average.Venable leads UT in total bases (113), slugging percentage (.608), and istied for the team lead in home runs (9). Senior Carrie Swinford hasamassed an SEC-leading 61 RBI.
Pitcher Jackie Beavers leads UT with a 1.73 ERA and a 21-9 record.Opponents are hitting just .229 off Beavers who has pitched 186 inningsthis season.
UT has a team ERA of 2.23 while opponents are hitting .262 of the Volpitching staff. UK owns a team ERA of 3.17 and opponents are hitting .284off the Wildcats.
UK is winless in seven games against UT all-time. The Wildcats are alsoseeking their first ever-win in the month of May.
