TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Wildcat softball team fell to No. 4 Alabama, 6-2 and 12-6, Saturday afternoon at the Alabama SoftballComplex.
The opening game of the twinbill featured a pitchers duel early with neither team scoring a run and combining for only four singlesthrough the first three innings. UK scored the first run of the game in the fourth inning when freshman Rachel Friberg scored fromsecond base on a two-out double to right field by senior Tiffany Kruse. The Cats took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fifth inning, scoringagain with two down in the inning. Senior slugger Leslie Kwiatkowski reached base on a fielders choice, stole second base, and scoredon center fielder Beth Fogles hard shot off the Alabama pitchers glove.
The Crimson Tide answered with six runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. UA recorded out five singles and one double during the rallyto take the lead for good. Two errors by the Cats defense also contributed to the Tide comeback.
Alabama starting pitcher Shelley Laird held the Wildcats hitless over the final two innings to pick up her 19th win of the season.Wildcat hurler Morgan Marr took the loss, falling to 11-8 on the season.
Kwiatkowski staked UK to a quick 1-0 lead in the nightcap by hammering a 2-2 offering from Tide starting pitcher Erin Wright over thefence in center field.
Alabama answered with two runs of their own on a two-run home run to right field by freshman Jackie McClain. UKs Tiffany Kruse tied the score at two by drilling a home run to right field in the top of the second inning. The Wildcats took a 4-2lead in the top of the third inning as shortstop Angie Dal Pozzo singled to center field to score Nikki Jones from second base. Dal Pozzolater came around to score on a Friberg sacrifice.
The Crimson Tide again rallied, scoring five runs in the bottom of the third and again in the bottom of the fourth to put the game out ofreach.
Kentucky scored two more runs, but it was not enough as Alabama went on to record their sixth consecutive Southeastern Conferencevictory.
Freshman Monique Lovell took the loss in relief to fall to 1-4 on the season. Kruse was 4-7 on the day for the Wildcats, with a homerun, two singles, a double, and two R BIs.
“I was pleased that we scored first in the opener, but we allowed them a big inning and you can not do that and expect to winagainst Alabama,” said UK coach Beth Kirchner. “Offensively we did a great job in the second game and we continued to fight untilthe end.”
The Cats (17-20, 4-8 SEC) and Crimson Tide (33-1, 13-1 SEC) will meet again Sunday at 1 p.m. to close out the three-game series.
