March 22, 2003
The University of Kentucky softball team fell in the first game of a doubleheader to the 18th-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide Saturday in Tuscaloosa. Senior Lyndsey Angus and sophomore Jessica Nance both went 3-3 in the loss. The second game is scheduled to begin at approximately 4:25 ET.
The Wildcats began the first game by putting two runs on the board in the first. Senior Nikki Jones led off with a double down the left field line. Lyndsey Angus reached first on an infield single but Jones was thrown out trying to advance to third. Junior Rachel Friberg hit a grounder to the pitcher, who couldn’t field it cleanly. The error put runners on first and second with two out. Sophomore Jessica Nance then hit a shot in the gap in right center. The triple scored Friberg and Angus and gave Kentucky the early lead.
The Tide answered in the bottom half of the inning. Following a groundout and a walk, Alabama’s Jackie McClain hit third home run of the season over the right centerfield fence, knotting the score at two.
UA took the brief lead in the second when Staci Ramsey crossed the plate on a single by Ashley Courtney. The Cats answered in the top of the third. Jones led off the inning with a walk and was putout at second on a fielder’s choice by sophomore Megan Brooks. Angus hit a dribbler up the middle allowing Brooks to get to third. With one out, Angus attempted to steal. She danced around the tag long enough to allow Brooks to go home and tie the score.
Alabama broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth. Following a double by Lacy Prejean, Amy Kendall retired the next two UA batters. But then four straight hits scored four runs giving the Tide the 7-3 lead.
Kentucky scored again in the top of the sixth. Following Angus’ third hit of the game, a double to right center, Nance knocked her third base hit of the game into right field, scoring Angus. Kentucky couldn’t get anything going in the seventh and Alabama came away with the 7-4 win.
Angus and Nance were both 3-3. Nance had three RBIs and Angus scored two of the four Kentucky runs. The three hits for Nance were a single-game career high for the sophomore.
Game 1#18 Alabama 7, Kentucky 4
Kentucky 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 4 9 0Alabama 2 1 0 4 0 0 X 7 9 1
