Every Tuesday, UK Athletics recognizes outstanding performances for our student-athletes.
These are the honorees for the week ending Sunday, Mar. 7:
Softball: Chanda Bell
Sophomore pitcher Chanda Bell went 2-1 on the weekend, with her lone loss
coming to No. 9 Georgia Tech. Against Georgia Tech, she struck out an impressive
11 batters in just six innings of work, against one of the hottest hitting
teams in the country. For the week, Bell worked 20 innings and struck out 30
batters for an average of 1.5 strikeouts per inning. With her 30 strikeouts
for the weekend, Bell has now tossed over 300 strikeouts in her career and
ranks second all-time in the UK career record books with 327 strikeouts. Her
two victories give her 27 for her young career, which is the fourth highest
total in UK history. She has appeared in just 46 career games and owns a career
record of 27-10. She is on pace to break the UK career strikeout and career
wins record by the beginning of her junior season.
Baseball: Logan Darnell
Week Stats: 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 GS, 1 CG, 1 SHO, 9.0 IP, 8 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 SO
Junior southpaw Logan Darnell had the game of his career in a win at San Diego
Friday … Making just his third career start, Darnell tossed a complete-game
shutout against the Toreros, hurling nine innings and allowing only eight hits
and no runs, striking out four … Darnell needed just 90 pitches to blank USD,
throwing 70 strikes and tossing first-pitch strikes to 22-of-32 hitters … Darnell
completely handcuffed USD, a team ranked No. 19 in the Baseball America preseason
top-25, facing only five hitters over the minimum of 27 and not allowing an
extra-base hit … He pounded the low part of the strike zone, forcing USD into
12 ground-ball outs and allowing his UK defense to turn a season-high four
double plays … After the game, UK head coach Gary Henderson raved on his performance: “He
was tremendous. When you throw 70 strikes in 90 pitches that is getting it
done at a high level. Not only did he throw a whole lot of strikes, but he
did it with three pitches. It is pretty rare that you see a complete-game,
90-pitch effort in college baseball. I have to say if he doesn’t win some national
and conference awards for this performance, something is seriously wrong.” … The
complete-game shutout marked UK’s first since James Paxton twirled a shutout
against Ole Miss on the final weekend of 2008 … On the year, Darnell has totaled
a 2-0 record and a 2.57 ERA in three starts, tossing 21 innings and striking
out 17.
Baseball: Matt Little
Week Stats: 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 save, 5 IP, 2 H, 0 BB, 11 SO, .125 opp. avg.
Junior right-hander Matt Little broke out in a big way during UK’s 3-1 week,
posting a save and a win in two appearances in relief … Little picked up his
team-best third save of the season in Tuesday’s win over Morehead State, pitching
a perfect ninth inning with two strikeouts to close out the win for the Wildcats … In
UK’s dramatic comeback win over Monmouth, Little entered with UK trailing by
six runs in the sixth inning … Little immediately showcased his lockdown stuff
striking out the first six batters he faced and fanning seven of his first
eight opposing hitters … With the UK offense slowly mounting a comeback over
the seventh, eighth and ninth innings, Little held strong, going the final
four innings, allowing two hits and no walks, striking out a career-best nine … Little
brought a competitiveness and spark that the Wildcats needed on the bump in
the win over Monmouth, igniting the UK offensive resurgence … UK head coach
Gary Henderson was impressed by the outing from Little: “Matt Little’s performance
out of the bullpen was outstanding. It gave us a chance to get back into the
game. It gave our club a shot of adrenaline and it brought some energy to our
dugout. To go four innings with only two hits, nine punch-outs and no walks
is a pretty special performance.” … Overall on the week, Little pitched five
innings, allowing only two hits and issuing no walks, striking out 11 … On
the year, Little owns a 0.82 ERA with a team-high three saves, fanning 14 in
11 innings and issuing only three walks, holding opponents to a .121 average.
Softball: Natalie Smith
Senior Natalie Smith had a tremendous weekend for the Wildcats going 10-of-18
at the plate for a team-best .556 batting average. Smith charted two triples
and four RBI during the week as well. The senior second baseman’s stellar weekend
helped her emerge on several of UK’s all-time career lists. She is now eighth
all-time in career hits (183) and triples (8), and 10 th all-time in career
RBI (74). With a team-best seven assists this weekend she now also ranks 10
th all-time in career assists with 218. The five-game hitting streak matches
a season-best streak. Her three hits in a single outing against Liberty matches
a season-high.
