FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. ? The Kentucky softball team dropped the third and final game at Arkansas today, Apr. 1, falling 2-0 to the Lady ?Backs in the Southeastern Conference series finale. The Wildcats fall to 17-14 on the year and 4-10 in the SEC, while Arkansas improves to 15-30 overall and 3-10 in league play.
This was just the fourth shutout for the Cats this season and the first since losing 11-0 on Mar. 11 at No. 18 Georgia.
The Wildcat leadoff hitter Natalie Smith singled to left to open the game but was stranded at second. UK had just one other baserunner over the first four innings when Ashley Fertic singled to right with two outs in the top of the second.
In the bottom of the first, Rachel LeMaster had a leadoff single, stole second, and went to third on a groundout. Junior transfer Becky Bishop saved a run and stranded LeMaster at third with a diving catch in right field to end the inning and the Arkansas threat.
UK starter Amber Matousek had allowed just one hit over the first three innings but the Lady Razorbacks got on the board in the fourth. A leadoff double and a UK error put a runner at third with nobody out. Arkansas broke open the shutout on Dayna Huckabee?s RBI single to center. Ashley Dimkich cut off Fertic?s throw from center and got the runner out at second attempting to stretch the hit into a double. Matousek got a ground ball back to the mound from the next batter to end the inning trailing 1-0.
Arkansas? Katy Henry had retired 11 straight Wildcat betters until Smith hit her second single of the day with one away in the top of the sixth. Audrey Meyer followed with a single through the left side to put runners at first and second for Kentucky. Brooke Marnitz struck out to bring Katie Campbell to the plate with two out and two on. The senior catcher battled but bounced one back to Henry in the circle who threw to first to end the Wildcat would-be rally.
Kentucky turned its league-leading 16th double play of the season in the bottom of the sixth. Whitney Cloer singled to right to lead off the inning but was doubled up when Samantha Bucker lined one back to Matousek who threw to Smith covering at first. The Lady ?Backs added a run, however, on a single and an RBI double to center to take a 2-0 lead.
The Wildcats had one last chance in the top of the seventh. Johnson led off with a single to center but would go no further as Bishop popped up to short, Fertic flew out to left and pinch hitter Destinee Mordecai was called out on strikes as Arkansas held on for the two-run win.
The Cats had just five hits on the day, led by Smith who was 2-for-3 with a pair of singles. Meyer, Johnson and Fertic accounted for the other three UK hits with three singles.
Matousek falls to 5-3 with the loss after allowing two earned runs on eight hits in the complete game. The freshman hurler struck out two and did not walk a batter over her six innings of work.
UK returns to action on Tuesday, Apr. 3, when it travels to take on No. 6 LSU. The doubleheader is slated for a 5 p.m. start in Baton Rouge.
