April 10, 2002
Box Score Game 1 | Box Score Game 2 |Photo Gallery
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A six-run third inning catapulted the Wildcats to a 9-1 victory over visiting Louisville in the second game of a doubleheader as the Cats went 1-1 against the Cardinals in softball action on Wednesday, April 10 at the UK Softball Complex. U of L won the first game, 5-1. The split moves UK’s record to 19-20 while the Cards are now 20-20.
Kentucky freshman Meghan Cooper (9-7) was the winning pitcher in the second game, tossing 6.0 innings and allowing just one run while U of L’s Krystle Herold (2-8) took the loss as she surrendered all nine Wildcat runs on 11 hits. Louisville’s Jessica Rak (18-9) earned the win in the first game allowing just one run on five hits while striking out seven. UK junior Morgan Marr (4-7) suffered the loss as she surrendered five runs on seven hits in 3.0 innings of work.
UK junior Nikki Jones paced the Wildcats offense with a 6-for-7 day, including a triple and three runs scored. Senior Angie Dal Pozzo finished the day 3-for-5 with three RBI. Freshman Jessica Nance tied a UK record as she drilled two triples in the second game.
“Nikki had an outstanding day at the plate,” UK Coach Beth Kirchner said. “That is the kind of attack mentality we need to bring to every game. In the first game we obviously did not have it, but we found it for second game and it showed.”
Kentucky pushed six runs across in the bottom of the third inning of the second game to take an insurmountable six run lead en route to the 9-1 victory. Jones’ one-out triple to right center started things off for the Cats. Junior Lyndsey Angus followed that up by reaching base on a fielding error by U of L second baseman Nicole Sparks, allowing Jones to score. Senior Angie Dal Pozzo then singled to left bringing classmate Andy Eilertson to the plate, who promptly blasted a three-run home run down the left field line, her team-leading seventh of the season.
UK was not finished yet as Cooper had a two-out bunt single followed by Nance’s second triple of the game, a shot to the right centerfield fence. Nance closed out the scoring for the inning when she came home as Meghan Brooks reached base on a fielding error by U of L shortstop Kenzie Meisenburg.
The Wildcats slammed the door shut on the Cardinals as they scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, invoking the eight-run mercy rule.
The three triples established a new UK record for three-baggers in a single game.
The first game was the complete opposite of the first as U of L jumped out to a five-run lead after four innings and never looked back.
The Cardinals scored two runs in the top of the third on two singles and a two-RBI double and then lit up the scoreboard three more times in the top of the fourth as they sent eight hitters to the plate.
Sara Bausher led the Cardinals attack in game one, going 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI.
Game OneLouisville 002 300 0 - 5 10 2Kentucky 000 000 0 - 1 5 3WP: Rak (18-9). LP: Marr (4-7). S: none.
Game TwoLouisville 100 000 – 1 9 3Kentucky 106 002 – 9 11 0WP: Cooper (9-7). LP: Herold (2-8). S: none.
-UK-
