Cats set school mark for wins in a season with 24.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 7, 2000) — The University of Kentuckysoftball team broke the school record for wins in aseason with a 1-0 victory in eight innings over the18th-ranked South Carolina Lady Gamecocks in theopening game of a doubleheader. In the secondgame, the Cats fell to USC, 4-2.
UK hurler Keary Camunas squared off against USCAll-American pitcher Megan Matthews in the firstgame in what turned out to be an eight inning pitchingduel.
UK (24-18, 6-4 SEC) had several chances, strandingrunners in scoring position in the second, third, andfourth innings. The only time USC got a runner pastfirst base was in the sixth inning when Joyce McMillinadvanced to second on Jodi Fittro’s single to center.The following two batters flied out as UK escaped apotential jam.
In the eighth inning, Nikki Jones reached when shewas hit by a Matthews’ pitch. Center fielder BethFogle sacrificed Jones to second. With Jones onsecond and two out, catcher Lyndsey Angus walkedsending UK’s leading hitter Leslie Kwiatkowski to the plate. Kwiatkowski hit agame-winning two out RBI-single to center, scoring Jones from second to giveUK a 1-0 victory, the Cats’ first win over a top-25 team this season.
Last season, UK finished 23-44, the best record in school history. The Catshave improved its record each season since the program began in 1997.
Camunas struck out three batters, while improving to 13-9 on the season, onewin shy of her school record for wins in a season. Matthews struck out twobatters, falling to 16-11.
Junior Tiffany Kruse tripled to left center to lead off the second inning, breakingthe UK single-season record for triples in a season with seven.
In the second game, the Cats fell behind in the first inning when the LadyGamecocks put two runs across off UK starting pitcher Morgan Marr.
However, Jen Howland’s two-run single down the left field line scored Kruse fromthird and Angie Dal Pozzo from second, tying the game, 2-2.
USC third baseman Sondra Hall broke the tie in the top of the fifth when shedoubled to left center. McMillin and Kendra McCutcheon scored to give USC(28-16, 9-8) a 4-2 lead.
UK loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, as Angusstepped up the plate. Angus hit a shot to left field but her line drive was caughtby Fittro to end the Cats’ threat and give USC the victory.
Matthews came in to relieve USC starter McMillin with one out in the third inningand picked up the win, improving to 17-11. Marr dropped to 5-4 with the loss.Angus and Fogle recorded two hits apiece for UK.
UK and USC will close out the four-game series with a doubleheader onSaturday, April 7 at the UK Softball Complex. The doubleheader will begin at 1p.m.
R H EUSC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0 2 1UK 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 - 1 5 0WP - Camunas (13-9) and AngusLP - Matthews (16-11) and Genovese.2B - Dal Pozzo (UK) R H EUSC 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 - 4 9 2UK 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 - 2 8 2WP - McMillin, Matthews (17-11) and GenoveseLP - Marr (5-4), Camunas and Angus.2B - McMillin (USC), Hall (USC).Records - USC (28-16, 9-8 SEC); UK (24-18, 6-4 SEC).
