The University of Kentucky softball team dropped two games at the Texas-Arlington Tournament, the second game knocking the Wildcats out of the tournament. The Cats first faced Stephen F. Austin State University and were defeated 4-2. The second game pitted UK against Texas-San Antonio for the second time in the tournament. The Roadrunners avenged their Friday loss to Kentucky by downing the Cats 6-5.
In the first game, Stephen F. Austin opened scoring in the third inning and scored all four of its runs in the third inning. Three runners scored back-to-back and the fourth scored after three singles. Kentucky attempted to overcome Stephen F. Austin in the fourth inning when Tiffany Kruse reached to second base on an error, then was thrown out at third but scored Lyndsey Angus and Angie Dal Pozzo. Kruse got tangled in base running against the first and second basemen but was able to outrun her to get on second after the error. The Cats were unable to overcome the deficit and Stephen F. Austin went on to win, 4-2.
Next, Kentucky faced Texas-San Antonio hoping to down the Roadrunners for the second time in the tournament to advance to the next round. Texas-San Antonio jumped out to the early lead in the first inning, scoring two runs. The remainder of Texas-San Antonios runs came in the second inning.Kentucky first scored in the fifth inning when Rachel Friberg scored on a Jen Howland single. The Wildcats made a run in the sixth inning, scoring four more. An error by the shortstop allowed Kruse to reach, advancing Nikki Jones to second and Leslie Kwiatkowski to third. Friberg hit a double to center field to score both Jones and Kwiatkowski. Kruse scored after the next batter, Andy Eilertson, singled, then reached on an error to second base, advancing Friberg to third. Friberg then scored after Howland advanced to second on an error by the third basemen. Still, Kentucky was not able to pull it out and the Roadrunners defeated UK 6-5.The Wildcats will travel next weekend, Feb. 16-18, to compete in the University ofArizona Tournament.
