Cats earn first victory of the season.
ARLINGTON, Texas (Feb. 11, 2000) — The University ofKentucky softball team captured its first victory ofthe season Friday afternoon at the UTATournament, a 2-0 shutout win over the PurdueBoilermakers.
Sophomore Jen Howland held Purdue to three hits,while earning her fourth career shutout.Centerfielder Beth Fogle went 2-3 and scored a runto lead the Cats.
UK got on the board in the bottom of the first whenFogle crossed home after an error by the Purdueshortstop. In the bottom of the sixth, Howlandscored when freshman Nikki Jones reached onanother Purdue error.
In UK’s next game, the Cats andLouisiana-Monroe exchanged leads four timesbefore the Lady Indians won the game in thebottom of the seventh. Katrina Emerick, who led ULM by going 3-4, singleddown the left field line to break a 4-4 tie and score Erica Tate from thirdbase, giving the Lady Indians a 5-4 victory.
UK grabbed an early 1-0 lead on a successful squeeze play, in whichfreshman Jamie Dardis scored. Michelle Bucci was credited with an RBI onthe play. After ULM took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third, UKanswered the Lady Indians when Andi Eilertson hit her first career home run,a two-run blast over the left field fence. Eilertson’s home run gave the Cats a3-2 lead.
ULM (1-2) scored two more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to gain alead, however the Cats put one run across in the top of the seventh to tie thegame. Tiffany Kruse laid down a perfect bunt, allowing Lyndsey Angus toscore on the squeeze.
In the first game of the day, UK (1-2) was blanked by No. 8 Oklahoma,5-0. Six Cats recorded hits in the game as pitcher Keary Camunas took theloss.
“Overall, we played well,” UK coach Beth Kirchner said. “We madeprogress from game one to game three and our offense is starting to pick upfrom being on the dirt and field once again. We should continue to imrpoveand play well tomorrow.”
UK will take on 1999 College World Series participant Southern Mississippiin the first round of tournament play Saturday morning at 11:15 a.m. TheCats fell to the Golden Eagles, 9-1 last season at the Frost CutleryTournament in Chattanooga, Tenn.
