April 7, 2002
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Mississippi State scored a run with two outs in the top of the sixth to break up a tie as the Bulldogs downed the host University of Kentucky, 3-2, in Southeastern Conference softball action at the UK Softball Complex on Sunday, April 7. The loss dropped UK’s record to 18-19, 3-9 SEC while the Bulldogs improved to 24-19, 6-8 SEC.
UK starting pitcher Jen Howland (6-6) was saddled with the loss despite allowing just three runs (two earned) in the complete game effort. MSU’s Kasey Whitehead picked up the win in relief, surrendering just one hit in 5.0 innings of work while striking out five.
“We had a hard time adjusting to Whitehead and that was our demise,” UK Coach Beth Kirchner said.
MSU’s Krystal Tillman scored the game-winning run with two outs in the top of the sixth, propelling the Bulldogs to the victory. After leading off the inning with a single to right, Tillman moved up to second on a two-out single to left by MSU’s Brooke Best. Lindsey Nelson, pinch-hitting in the ninth spot in the order, then delivered a line-drive RBI single up the middle to score Tillman. Whitehead then sat the Wildcats down 1-2-3 over the next two innings to cement the victory and avoid the three-game sweep by the Wildcats.
The Bulldogs got on the board in the top of the first for the second time during the three-game series, scoring one earned run off of Howland. But as has been the case in the first two games, UK answered the bell in their half of the inning with two runs of their own. Senior Sandi Dengler singled to open things off and advanced two bases on Tillman’s fielding error. After junior Nikki Jones walked, junior Lyndsey Angus singled home Dengler from third. Senior Angie Dal Pozzo then singled, but Angus was thrown out at second on the play. Senior Andy Eilertson finally knotted the game at 2-2 with an RBI single over the third basemen’s head, scoring Jones.
Each squad was pretty much shut down from their on out. UK could only muster two hits after the top of the first while MSU could not put anything substantial together until the fifth when they threatened to break things open. After loading the bases with one out, Howland coaxed clean-up hitter Kate Jaspers to fly out to Dengler in left, who then gunned down Jennifer Jessup at the plate, who was tagging up on the play, to shut the Bulldogs down for the inning.
Dengler finished the game 2-for-3 with a run scored to lead the Cats. Iyhia McMichael provided most of the offense for the Bulldogs, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
“We had three good pitching performances this weekend,” Kirchner said. “And that was very good to see.”
UK will step out of conference play on Wednesday, April 10 when the Cats play host to Bluegrass rival Louisville in a twinbill. The first game is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. EDT.
Miss. State 2000010-3 9 1Kentucky 2000000-2 6 1WP: Whitehead (14-8). LP: Howland (6-6). S: none.
-UK-
