May 11, 2001
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Arkansas catcher Danika Howlett scored the only run of the game on a single to right field by Kim Eiben with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning as the University of Kentucky softball team was eliminated from the Southeastern Conference Tournament Friday afternoon.
Both teams combined for a total of only six hits as UK hurler Jennifer Howland and Arkansas ace Heather Schlictman hooked up in a pitcher’s duel that saw Howland lose a no-hitter in the bottom of the fifth inning and Schlictman surrender only two singles to Wildcat hitters.
The sixth-seeded Lady Razorbacks threatened in the bottom of the opening frame by loading the bases with two outs, but the Cats escaped unharmed when Tiffany Wooley flied out to Leslie Kwiatkowski in right field for the third out.
Sophomore Nikki Jones notched one of the two hits off Schlictman by leading off the top of the fourth inning with a single through the right side of the infield. Jones was erased when Lyndsey Angus hit into a fielder’s choice at shortstop. Angus was then forced out at second as Angie Dal Pozzo grounded to Cortney Mitchell at shortstop. Tiffany Kruse grounded to second for the final out of the inning.
Rachel Friberg recorded the second hit of the game for UK as the freshman beat out an infield single with one down in the fifth inning, but was left at first base as Schlictman retired the next two Wildcat batters.
Arkansas threatened in the bottom of the fifth inning when Andy Wharton led off with a line drive through the left side of the infield. Wharton moved to second on a sacrifice by Erin Stokey, but was gunned down attempting to take third base by UK’s Beth Fogle, as the Wildcat center fielder flagged down Mitchell’s deep fly ball.
Howlett led off the Arkansas sixth inning with a single to right field and moved to third on Eiben’s one-out double to center field. Wooley followed with her game-winning single to right, scoring Howlett. Eiben attempted to score from second on the play but was out at the plate on the throw from Kwiatkowski to Angus.
Schlictman retired the Wildcats in order in the top of the seventh, recording her 25th win of the season.
Howland went the distance for the Cats, giving up just the one run, but absorbing the loss to fall to 5-13 on the season.
“I thought Jen pitched a great game,” UK coach Beth Kirchner said. “Offensively I was disappointed that we could not get runners in scoring position. “
The Wildcats finish the 2001 season with a record of 27-34, 10-18 in the SEC, and will return home Saturday, May 12.
AGATE
Kentucky 000 000 0 0 2 3Arkansas 000 001 X 1 4 0
WP-Schlictman (25-12) and Howlett, LP-Howland (5-13) and Angus, 2B-Eiben, SH-Stokey Records- UK (27-34), UA (35-29)
