Softball win streak ends at seven games.
(March 25, 2000) — The UK softball team dropped a doubleheader to the 14th-ranked AlabamaCrimson Tide Saturday afternoon, 4-3 and 6-2, snapping the Catsseven-game winning streak.
UK (17-15, 2-2 SEC) took an early lead in game one when Tiffany Krusedoubled to right field, scoring Leslie Kwiatkowski from second base. In thesecond inning, the Cats added another run when Andrea Eilertson scored ona error by Alabama first baseman Ginger Jones.
The Tide answered with two runs of its own in the top of the third, however,UK regained the lead in the bottom of the inning when Kwiatkowski stolehome, giving UK a 3-2 advantage.
Alabama tied the game in the sixth on Suzanne Olcott’s RBI-double, scoringJen Reach. With the game tied at 3-3 in the seventh, Christy Kyle scored onKelley Askew’s single to give Bama a 4-3 win, halting the Cats win streak atseven.
The Cats outhit the visiting Tide, 9-7, and still had several chances to win thegame despite committing six errors. Kwiatkowski led UK at the plate, going3-for-4 with two runs scored and three stolen bases. Kruse and Angie DalPozzo had two hits apiece for UK. UK pitcher Keary Camunas, who gave upjust one earned run and struck out four, dropped to 10-8 with the loss, herfirst loss in her last eight starts.
In the second game, Alabama jumped on the Cats with three runs in the firstinning off UK freshman hurler Morgan Marr.
The Cats, who left 10 runners on base in the game, got on the board in thesixth inning with back-to-back doubles by Kiwatkowski and Kruse, trimmingthe Tide’s lead to, 3-1.
Alabama added three insurance runs in the top of the seventh, but UK had achance to climb back in the game in the bottom of the inning. With thebases loaded, down 6-2, Colleen Boddy stepped up with two outs but fliedout to left field, ending the Cats’ threat.
Kruse and Dal Pozzo had two hits apiece for the Cats. Marr dropped to 2-2on the season, while striking out a career-high six batters.
“I thought we came out and played hard despite battling injuries,” UK coach Beth Kirchner said. “Evenwithout three of our starters, we intended to come out and compete with the purpose of winning twogames. We should have won the first game, but we came back and battled hard in the second game.”
UK returns to action on Wednesday, March 29, when the Cats play host to intrastate rival Louisville.The first game of the doubleheader is set for 6 p.m., while the second game is slated for 8 p.m.
R H EAlabama 0 0 2 0 0 1 1 4 7 1UK 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 3 9 6WP - Laird (2-3) and Prejean; LP - Camunas (10-8) and Dengler. 2B - Olcott(UA), Kyle (UA), Kruse (UK)Records - Alabama (36-6, 6-1); UK (17-14, 2-1).R H EAlabama 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 6 10 2UK 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 8 1WP - Linder (5-1), Bautista and Askew; LP - Marr (2-2) amd Dengler. 2B -Kretschman (UA), Kyle 2 (UA), Kwiatkowski (UK), Kruse (UK), Dal Pozzo (UK)Records - Alabama (37-6, 7-1); UK (17-15, 2-2).
