LOUISVILLE, Ky. ? The University of Kentucky softball team upset No. 21 Louisville today, Apr. 19, with a 3-1 win over the Cardinals at Ulmer Stadium. The Wildcats match their win total from a year ago and improve to 20-26 on the year, while the Cardinals fall to 26-8.
The Cardinals took a 1-0 lead in the first after Leslie Garland reached on an error by Gina Florence. Lacy Wood followed with a two-out double to the wall in left center field to score Garland from first and put the Cards on top by a run. Jessica Trueblood stranded a pair of runners when she struck out Brooke McCrain to end the inning.
The Cards got their leadoff runner on base in the third inning when Audrey Rendon reached on a bunt single. Lori Melchi made a stellar catch against the wall in left to steal a would-be run-scoring double from Courtney Moore. Trueblood then struck out Wood, the Cardinal cleanup batter, to end the inning and keep the 1-0 score in tact.
Megan Glenn became UK?s all-time leader for putouts on a Garland groundout in the bottom of the third. The senior first baseman had three in the game to give her a school-record 1,041 as she moves past Andy Eilerston who had held the record since 2002.
Amy Kendall relieved Trueblood on the mound for the Wildcats in the fourth inning and sat down the first three batters she faced. Kendall did not allow a hit until she gave up a one-out single to Wood in the sixth. The senior hurler struck out the next two batters to get out of the inning.
The Wildcats got on the board in the top of the sixth. Melchi led off the inning with a single and stole second. Meghan Cooper drew a one-out walk to put runners at first and second for Katie Campbell who belted a double to left center to clear the bases and give UK the 2-1 lead. Kentucky made it a two-run lead when Campbell rounded the bases on a throwing error by Louisville pitcher Catherine Bishop. Ashley Fertic reached on the error and went to second after the throw sailed into the UK dugout. Kady Garrick relieved Bishop with one out and walked Brooke Marnitz to put runners at first and second before striking out the side to end the Wildcat rally.
Sam Allen came in to pitch the seventh inning and gave up a leadoff single to Brittney Counts. The sophomore followed that with a pair of fly ball outs to left field and got a ground ball to second to end the inning and earn her first career save.
Kendall earned the win to even her record at 8-8 on the year. The senior tossed three innings of one-hit softball and did not give up a run. She struck out three and walked one en route to the win. Trueblood started the game and also threw three innings for the Cats. The freshman gave up one run on three hits and struck out two batters.
Campbell drove in two runs on her team-high 11th double of the year. The junior catcher now has a team-best 39 RBI. Melchi finished 1-for-2 with a stolen base, a walk, and run scored.
?This was a great day for our pitching staff. They really worked together today,? said head coach Eileen Schmidt. ?We got timely hitting today which was something we didn?t get last weekend against Arkansas. We played hard today and that was nice to see going into our series with Florida because Louisville is very similar to them.?
The Wildcats return to action this weekend, Apr. 22, with a doubleheader against the Gators in Gainesville.
