March 31, 2002
Alabama scored four unearned runs in the top of the third inning and Crimson Tide All-American pitcher Shelley Laird threw 4.0 innings of four-hit ball as Alabama downed Kentucky, 11-3, to complete a three-game Southeastern Conference series sweep of UK on Easter Sunday, March 31 at the UK Softball Complex. The loss dropped to UK to 16-18, 1-8 SEC while the Tide rose to 30-11, 13-2 SEC.
Junior Morgan Marr (3-6), who was making her first start in over a month after battling mononucleosis, suffered the loss for the Cats as she allowed four runs in 2.2 innings of work before being knocked out of the game by a line drive off of her left leg. Meghan Cooper relieved Marr and allowed seven runs on eight hits. Laird struck out four in improving to 17-6 on the year.
Neither team could do much offensively in the first two innings as they combined for just one hit over the first 2.2 innings, a single to right field by UK junior Nikki Jones in the first. But then the Tide got rolling. A fielding error by UK third baseman sophomore Rachel Friberg followed a Jackie Wilkins double, prolonging the inning. A two-RBI double by Jackie McLain was followed up by a home run to center by Ashley Courtney, upping the Tide advantage to 4-0.
UK answered with a run in the bottom of the third as senior Sandi Dengler, who led off with a single to left field, came home on a RBI single to left field by junior Lyndsey Angus.
Once again Alabama responded with a big inning as they strung together three singles and a base on balls to score three more and take a commanding 7-1 lead after four innings.
After allowing four runs in the top of the sixth, UK pushed two runs across in their half of the inning, but it was not enough as the game ended after six innings due to the eight-run mercy rule.
Dengler led the Cats offensively by going 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored. Also going 2-for-3 were Jones and Angus.
Courtney and McLain led the Crimson Tide as they went a combined 3-for-6 with six RBI and four runs scored.
UK is now 0-14 all-time vs. Alabama.
The Wildcats will take a week off before they retake the field on Saturday, March 6 when they play host to Mississippi State. The three-game SEC series will begin with a 1 p.m. doubleheader.
Alabama 004304-11 12 1Kentucky 001002- 3 8 2WP: Laird (17-6). LP: Marr (3-6). S: none.
-UK-
