Columbus, Ohio ? The Kentucky softball team split a pair of games with Ohio State Wednesday at Buckeye Field in Columbus, Ohio. UK freshman Amber Janneck once again provided the heroics for the Cats, as she hit an RBI double in the eighth inning of game two to score Jessica Nance and provided the game-winning run in the extra-inning thriller. The squad fell in game one, 6-4, after a late seventh-inning comeback attempt fell two runs shy.
The Cats and Buckeyes took a 2-2 tie into the eighth before Janneck?s outburst propelled UK to the win. OSU added one in the bottom of the frame, but UK was able to hold on for the 4-3 victory. UK (23-25-1) jumped on OSU starter Jamee Juarez from the start of the game, as Rachel Friberg took the first pitch of the game over the left field wall for her third home run of the season. The Buckeyes countered in their half of the frame, as Nycole Koyano walked in the lead-off position and was brought home on an RBI single from Juarez.
Pitching took over after the first, as Juarez and UK?s Gretchen Prugh kept the bases empty until the sixth inning. Friberg broke the trend with a double to the center field wall before moving to third on a sacrifice bunt from Jessica Nance and scoring on a sacrifice fly from Janneck. The battle continued into the bottom of the sixth, when Juarez tied the game for a second time with her second RBI single of the outing.
Rachel Friberg was spectacular in the victory, going a perfect 4-for-4 with two runs. Prugh was also impressive in the complete-game win, giving up only four hits while striking out two.
The Cats got down early in game one, as the Buckeyes (27-18) sent runners to the bags in the first inning on a pair of walks and scored the game?s first run on an RBI single to right field from Jamee Juarez. Billie Jo Carder tacked on three more with a three-run home run, scoring Jaurez and Ashley Cutcliff for a 4-0 lead.
The Buckeyes took advantage of two Kentucky errors to add a pair of runs in the fourth. Jaurez added the first with an RBI single to left, and Cutcliff reached base on a throwing miscue to score Megan Schwab for a 6-0 advantage. The Cats ended the game with a season-high four errors after a steady rain fell for most of the contest.
UK added their first run on the scoreboard in the sixth, as Amber Janneck led off the inning with a single and scored three plays later on a sacrifice fly from Katie Campbell. The Cats put together their late rally in the top of the seventh on three consecutive doubles from Jessica Nance, Janneck and Emily Marks, but it wasn?t enough to overcome the five-run deficit the Buckeyes had built heading into UK?s last at-bat.
Friberg, Nance and Janneck combined to make up six of UK?s nine hits in the contest, while Janneck also added two runs and two RBIs in the loss. Koyano was impressive for the Buckeyes, going 3-for-3 with two runs in the winning effort.
UK returns to action this weekend, when they play host to the Arkansas Razorbacks at the UK Softball Complex. Play is slated for 1 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday, with Senior Day ceremonies scheduled to take place for Sunday?s meeting with the Lady Backs.
