All-Tournament Team
Dal Pozzo and Kwiatkowski Named to All-Tournament Team
The Wildcat softball team dropped its final game of the Kentucky Invitational 10-1 to Louisville Sunday night at the UK SoftballComplex. The Cardinals roughed up UK starting pitcher Morgan Marr and reliever Jen Howland by knocking out 14 hits. Louisville ledoff the game with two consecutive infield hits by junior Kenzie Meisenburg and center fielder Coleen Coughlin. Both runners scored oncleanup hitter Candi Padillas line double to right center field. First baseman Nikki Gaudio brought Padilla home on a two-out bloop singleto left center, and the Cats quickly fell behind 3-0.
The Wildcats also came out ready to hit in their half of the first inning. Right fielder Leslie Kwitkowski led off with a double down theleft field line and moved to third on Beth Fogles bunt single. Catcher Lyndsey Angus followed with a shot that Cardinal third basemanMeisenburg snared and tagged out Kwitkowski as she tried to dive back to third base. Angie Dal Pozzo then singled to shortstop movingAngus into scoring position, but the threat ended as Rachel Friberg line drive was caught by Gaudio and Tiffany Kruse flew out to leftfield.
UK got one run back in the bottom of the second inning when Andy Eilertson led off with a walk and moved to second as Nikki Jonesbeat out a single to shortstop. The Wildcats loaded the bases when Kwitkowski singled to center field, and Eilertson scored on Foglestwo-out single to left field.
The Cards increased the lead to 5-1 in the third inning when Coughlin singled to left and right fielder Keola Calderon hit her secondhome run of the season. UL added three more runs in the fifth inning on three consecutive singles, a walk, and a double by secondbaseman Nicole Sparks.
UK junior Jen Howland relieved Marr in the top of the sixth and promptly retired the first two Louisville batters, but gave up a single toCalderon and Padilla followed with a home run to push the Cardinal lead to 10-1.
“We played good team defense but Louisville had a hot day at the plate,” said UK coach Beth Kirchner.The Wildcats finished the UKIT in third place with a record of 3-2, behind Louisville at 4-1, and Southeast Missouri at 3-2.
UK (12-13, 1-1 SEC) returns to action Tuesday, March 13, when the Wildcats will face the Indiana Hoosiers in a doubleheader slated tobegin at 1 p.m.
