March 11, 2000

The University of Kentucky softball team captured a rain-soaked 5-3victory over Northern Illinois in the opening game of the KentuckyInvitational at the UK Softball Complex Saturday afternoon. UK fell toEvansville in its second game of the day, 2-0.

UK jumped on the Huskies in the bottom of the first when Lyndsey Angus’RBI-single scored Beth Fogle from second base. After Angus advanced tosecond on a passed ball, junior slugger Leslie Kwiatkowski singled to scoreAngus, giving the Cats a 2-0 lead.

After NIU (2-5) added a run in the top of the fifth, UK responded withthree runs in the bottom of the sixth, courtesy of three Huskie errors.Nikki Jones reached on an error by NIU second baseman Suzie Rizek to scoreDardis from third. Kwiatkowski followed with a single, scoring Jones andJennifer Howland.

Leading 5-1 in the top of the seventh, NIU rallied for two runs on threehits, but Paige Shemoski grounded out to UK pitcher Keary Camunas, endingthe Huskies’ threat and giving the Cats a 5-3 victory.

Camunas walked two batters and struck out four as the senior won for thethird time in her last four starts. Kwiatkowski led the Cats at the plate,going 2-for-3 with three RBIs.

In UK’s second game of the day, the Cats’ dropped a narrow 2-0 decision tothe Evansville Purple Aces. UE (13-4-2) broke a scoreless tie in the top ofthe seventh with first baseman Kristy Crain’s two-out single, scoring HavenShank from third and Bridget Broerman from second. The Cats had severalopportunities, but were unable to come up with a key hits.

UK (10-13), recording its fourth straight errorless game, tallied six hitsled by Angus and Jones who had two hits apiece.

“We really played excellent defense today and have put together four gooddefensive games in a row,” UK coach Beth Kirchner said. “I am pleased withthe way we approached the whole day and if we do the same thing on Sunday,we should be tournament champions.”

The final game Saturday between Evansville and Butler was postponed andwill be played Sunday, March 12 at 10 a.m.

Day two of the Kentucky Invitational begins at 10 a.m. on Sunday, March 12with Northern Illinois and Evansville set to square off. UK will faceButler at 2 p.m., while the championship game is set for 4 p.m.

                   R  H ENIU 0 0 0 0 1 0 2  3 11 4UK  2 0 0 0 0 3 x  5  4 0

WP – Camunas (5-7) and Angus, LP – Dalton (0-3), Witvilet and Szymski,Knoll. 2B – Szymski (NIU).Records – NIU (1-5), UK (10-12).

R H EUE 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 10 2UK 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0

WP – Ross (1-0) and Huff, LP – Howland (4-5) and Dengler. 2B – Broerman(UE), 3B – Huff (UE)Records – UE (13-4-2), UK (10-13).

R H ENIU 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 4 10 1BU 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3

WP – Dalton (1-3) and Knoll, LP – Benter (1-2) and Poast. 2B – Szymski(NIU), Rizek (NIU)Records – NIU (2-5), BU (1-5).