The Kentucky softball team suffered a pair of Southeastern Conference shutout losses today, Apr. 1, to No. 4 Alabama. The Wildcats fell 7-0 in the opener before a five-inning 11-0 loss in the nightcap. UK is now 14-21 on the year and 2-15 in SEC play, while the Crimson Tide moves to 31-4 and leads the conference with an 11-0 record in the league.
Alabama starter Stephanie VanBrakle threw the first perfect game in school history in the opening game of the day. She didn?t allow a UK player to reach base in the complete-game win which saw her record go to 18-2 on the year.
Senior Amy Kendall got the loss to move to 5-7 on the year. Kendall retired the first eight batters she faced, but ran into trouble in the fourth after allowing a leadoff single and a two-run homer. The Tide added two runs in the fifth and plated three runs in the seventh to give UA the 7-0 win. Kendall gave up seven runs on 13 hits with three strikeouts in 7.0 innings of work.
In the second game of the twin bill, Alabama scored two in the top of the first. Jessica Trueblood gave up two straight singles and then struck out two before giving up a two-run double to left field by Dani Woods.
The Tide added four runs on three hits, including a grand slam in the third to take a 6-0 lead.
Senior Megan Glenn broke up the no-hitter in the third with a single to left field in the bottom of the third. Lori Melchi reached on a fielder?s choice that erased Glenn at second and was stranded at first as UA?s Chrissy Owens struck out the side to end the Wildcat rally attempt.
Alabama pushed its lead to eight runs with a two-spot in the top of the fourth. The Wildcats got to Owens again in the home half of the inning as Meghan Cooper reached on an infield single to the right side and went to second on a wild pitch. Ashley Fertic followed with another infield single to put runners at the corners with two outs, but Ashley Dimkich was called out on strikes to end the inning.
Lindsay Brogdon relieved Trueblood in the fifth and allowed three runs on two hits as the Tide swept the doubleheader with an 11-0 win in the second game of the afternoon.
Trueblood got the loss to move to 5-11 on the year after allowing eight runs on 10 hits in 4.0 innings of work. The freshman hurler struck out five and did not walk a batter.
The three-game series wraps up with a single game on Sunday, Apr. 2, at the UK Softball Complex. Game time is set for 12:30 p.m.
