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CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. ? The Kentucky softball team moved to 5-14 on the year with a split at the Frost Cutlery Invitational today, Feb. 26, in Chattanooga, Tenn. The Cats handed Kent State (6-2) just its second loss of the year with a 7-2 drumming in the nightcap. Kentucky fell to Purdue (8-5) in extra innings in the opening game of day two by a final of 5-4.
The Cat bats came alive early against the Golden Flashes. Jessica Nance walked to lead off the game, stole second and scored on a groundout by Megan Glenn to put UK ahead 1-0. The Golden Flashes quickly tied the score in the bottom of the inning but Samantha Allen stranded a pair of runners as she ended the inning with a strikeout.
The Cats added four runs in the second on three hits, including two for extra-bases. Amber Nix and Jenny Sibert each reached on errors by the KSU infielders. Both would score on a two-run single to center by Lori Melchi. Nance followed with a double to drive in Melchi and crossed the plate on Ashley Fertic?s triple to deep center field, giving Kentucky a 6-1 lead.
A run in the third made it a five-run lead for UK as Nix scored on a bases-loaded walk to Nance. The Cats made it 7-1 with a run in the sixth after Fertic singled, stole second, moved to third on a throwing error and scored on a groundout by Amber Janneck.
KSU added a pair of solo home runs in the sixth and seventh innings. The Flashes pulled to within a run when Fitzpatrick belted a three-run homer off junior Amy Kendall with two outs in the seventh. Allen re-entered and gave up a single, but struck out a pinch hitter to hang on for the one-run victory.
Fertic finished with a 3-for-4 performance at the dish, driving in one and scoring a run. She also recorded a pair of stolen bases in the win. Nance scored twice with two runs batted in, two walks, a double and a steal. Melchi drove in two and scored a run for the Cats.
Allen improved to 5-6 with the win after giving up two earned runs on eight hits in 6.1 innings pitched. She tied a career-high with fix strikeouts in the win.
In the first game of the double dip, PU grabbed an early 2-0 lead on a pair of hits and a wild pitch in the home half of the first. UK starter Samantha Allen was lifted for Meghan Cooper with two outs. The junior came in and got a ground ball back to the mound to end the inning with the bags full of Boilermakers.
The Cats took the lead in the top of the second behind a bases-loaded sacrifice fly by Lori Melchi and a two-run double to left-center off the bat of freshman Alli Eckman.
Purdue tied the game with a run in the fifth to knot the score at three runs apiece.
The Wildcats threatened in the top of the seventh, but an inning-ending double play gave PU a chance to win it in the bottom of the inning. Cooper retired the side in order to send the game to extras and the international tie-breaker was enforced.
Pinch runner Jenny Sibert scored from third on an RBI single to center by Fertic to give the Cats the 4-3 lead in the eighth. The Boilermakers tied it in the bottom of the frame on a run-scoring single of their own.
UK would not score in the ninth and saw PU score the winning run on a close play at the plate on a suicide squeeze to win by the final of 5-4. The Wildcats are now 1-2 in extra inning contests this season.
Fertic was 2-for-3 with two singles and an RBI, while Eckman finished with a double and two runs batted in.
Cooper (0-6) took the loss despite a valiant effort, allowing three unearned runs on five hits with four strikeouts in 7.2 innings of work.
UK wraps up play on Sunday with a 10 AM showdown with Bowling Green who opens play at the Tennessee tournament. In their final game, the Cats face tourney host, UTC at 2:30 PM.
