OXFORD, Miss. ? Sophomore Natalie Smith?s two-run single in the top of the seventh inning lifted the University of Kentucky softball team to a 4-2 victory Sunday at the Ole Miss Softball Complex clinching the conference series.
Smith went 3-for-4 on the day bringing in three runs and adding a double to her day. Fittingly, the second baseman also made the last out of the game on a pop-up to preserve the win. Sophomore right-hander Amber Matousek went the distance for the Blue and White tossing seven complete innings while fanning five batters in her ninth win of the season.
The conference series win is the first since 2007 for UK (15-22, 3-11), when they also took a 2-1 series over Ole Miss in Lexington.
Sophomore Destinee Mordecai opened the top of the seventh by reaching on an error by the shortstop. Freshman Meagan Aull kept things going with an infield single putting runners on first and second with the top of the UK order coming to the plate. Kentucky benefited from another Ole Miss mistake as the base runners were able to move an extra spot on a wild pitch by reliever Becky Nye. Senior Audrey Meyer loaded the bases when she took four straight balls. Freshman Meagan Yocke fell on strikes on a low pitch in the strike-zone for the first out of the inning setting the stage for Smith.
To open up the game Meyer sent a well-hit ball down the left field line, but the Ole Miss third baseman was able to snag it for a line-drive out. Yocke reached base in her first-at bat after walking on five pitches. Smith followed with a double that fell over the left fielder?s out stretched arms and Yocke was able to round home from first to put the visitors up 1-0. Smith, attempting to stretch the double an extra base, was thrown out at third. The inning ended with just one run after sophomore Molly Johnson fell on strikes.
Matousek began the game by sitting down the first two Ole Miss batters with strikeouts. The Rebels? Lauren Grill reached on an infield single before Ashley Dowdy followed with an infield single of her own. A throwing error by Johnson allowed both base runners to advance into scoring position. The bases were loaded when Matousek nicked Amber Tramp. After battling Lauren Rowe through nine pitches, Matousek eventually walked her which allowed a run to score to tie the game at one. Matousek then got out of the jam forcing Alyssa McGovern to pop up to Katie McCarty at third ending the inning.
Freshman Sam DeMartine popped a ball just over the pitcher?s head but the second baseman was able to snatch the ball and make the first out of the second inning. Senior Ashley Dimkich singled up the middle to put a base runner on for the Wildcats. McCarty advanced the runner into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt down the left field line, but UK was unable to put another run across Mordecai ended the inning with a strikeout.
Ole Miss? Michelle May began the bottom half of the second with a single that dropped into shallow right field. Alise Doubt misplaced a bunt and McCarty was able to get the force out at second, while Doubt reached on a fielder?s choice. Courtnie Ghinaudo grounded a ball to Dimkich at first who got the force out at second, but Ghinaudo reached on another fielder?s choice. The Rebels? Lisa Conchos then sent a double down the left field line on the first offering putting runners on second and third. Matousek once again got out of the inning when she forced Grill to pop up to Smith at second base keeping the score knotted at one.
After Aull went down on strikes to start the third inning, Meyer reached base on an infield single. Yocke then sent a high-fly ball into deep center field that was fielded cleanly by the Ole Miss outfielder. The inning ended with another runner left on when Smith grounded out to first base.
Dowdy opened the third for Ole Miss with a fly out to Mordecai in left field. Tramp and Rowe followed with a pair of singles to put runners on first and second with just one out. McCarty made a spectacular play when she laid out for a ground ball and then tagged the third base bag to get the force out and keep a runner off of third. Matousek then tallied her third strikeout of the game when she got May to swing at three pitches.
Johnson led off the top half of the fourth with her first hit of the series when she doubled into right-center. DeMartine pushed Johnson to third with a lay-down sacrifice bunt. Dimkich was able to score Johnson, her 15th RBI of the season, and then reached first on a throwing error by the pitcher. McCarty put down her second sacrifice bunt of the game to move Dimkich into scoring position. Dimkich was left on when the inning ended on another UK strikeout, but the Blue and White were able to take a 2-1 lead.
The UK defense did its thing in the bottom of the inning sitting the Rebels down in order on three groundouts.
Yocke tallied a two-out single into left-center to once again put a base runner on for the Wildcats. The freshman then swiped second base to put herself in prime scoring position. Smith was able to put a ball into play and reached on an infield single, moving Yocke over to third. Johnson drilled a ball back to the pitcher, but the Rebels? Tara Willitt was able to make the play keeping UK off the scoreboard.
Grill singled through the left side to start the fifth for the home squad. Dowdy followed with a single that just dropped into shallow left field putting runners on first and second with no outs. The first out of the inning came on a pop up to Smith at second. Matousek tacked on her fourth strikeout of the game to put two outs on the scoreboard. McGovern plated a run on a two-out double to even the score at two and placing runners on second and third. Matousek ended the inning with her second strikeout of the frame.
For the first time all game, UK was unable to put a runner on base as they were retired in order in the top half of the sixth inning. The Wildcats were able to return the favor sitting the Rebels down in order in the bottom of the inning.
Kentucky will return to the field Wednesday. UK will host top-10 ranked LSU at the UK Softball Complex. First pitch of the doubleheader is slated for a 4 p.m. start. Complete coverage of the UK softball team can be found at www.ukathletics.com.
