Every Tuesday, UK Athletics recognizes outstanding performances for our student-athletes. These are the honorees for the week ending Sunday, April 11:
Softball: Chanda Bell
Sophomore Chanda Bell has been UK’s top option in the circle this season and has continued to improve as the season has progressed. Bell went 2-0 in three appearances this week with an astounding 0.46 ERA while allowing just 11 hits in 15 innings of action. She struck out 24 batters, which is a rate of 1.6 strikeouts per inning. With the 24 strikeouts, she claims UK’s single-season strikeout record with 228 on the season. She betters her own mark set just last year when she had 216. She also sits just 100 strikeouts from the UK career record. Bell tossed the first one-hitter of her career in a shutout victory to complete the sweep of South Carolina on Sunday. She allowed just one hit and only one other runner to reach base. Over the last four innings of play against the Gamecocks she threw a perfect game and struck out nine batters. The win on Sunday marked the 14th time this season she has struck out 10 or more batters in a single game and it is the fourth shutout of the season for Bell. In single-season allure this year, Bell holds the record in strikeouts and opponent batting average at .186. She ranks fourth in single-season history with four shutouts, fifth with 14 wins on the year and 10th in complete games thrown with 19.
Softball: Molly Johnson
Senior Molly Johnson had another terrific week for the Wildcats as she led the squad with a .636 batting average, an .818 slugging percentage and a .692 on-base percentage in UK’s 3-1 week. Johnson also scored seven times last week to claim her fifth UK career record with 148 career runs scored. (She already possesses school records in career batting average, slugging percentage, doubles and home runs). Additionally, Johnson has a hit in 28 of UK’s last 32 games. Since the SEC season began, Johnson has a hit in all but two of UK’s 19 games against league opponents.
Baseball: Taylor Rogers
Freshman southpaw Taylor Rogers had a dominating performance in leading UK to a series-clinching victory over No. 19 Alabama on Saturday night. Rogers tossed 7.2 innings in his fourth win of the season, allowing only five hits and two runs, not issuing a walk and striking out five. Rogers held Alabama to a .192 average in his outing. He forced 13 ground outs against the Crimson Tide and is now averaging 13.86 ground outs per nine innings pitched. On the year, Rogers owns a 4-3 record and a 4.86 ERA, starting eight games in his true freshman season. The Littleton, Colo., native has pitched 50 innings with one complete game, allowing only eight walks and striking out 22.
Baseball: Keenan Wiley
Senior center fielder Keenan Wiley had an excellent offensive week in leading UK to a win over No. 7 Louisville in the midweek and a series victory over No. 19 Alabama during a pivotal Southeastern Conference weekend. Wiley led the team during the four-game week with a .600 average, charting nine hits in 15 at-bats. He added a double and a triple, driving in three RBI, drawing one walk and stealing three bases. Wiley laid down a sacrifice bunt and had a sacrifice hit. In the win over Louisville, Wiley added a magnificent diving, run-saving catch in center field in the middle innings. Also in the win over Louisville, Wiley had a clutch RBI double, adding a stolen base. In Friday’s win over Alabama, Wiley went a perfect 3-for-3, drawing a walk. Saturday, Wiley continued a stellar weekend, batting 3-for-4 with two RBI, a triple and a stolen base in leading UK to the series-clinching win. In the Sunday contest, Wiley batted 2-for-4 with a stolen base and a sacrifice bunt. On the year, Wiley is batting .364 (43-for-118) with five doubles, one triple, four homers and 27 RBI, drawing nine walk and striking out 10 times. Wiley has stolen 11-of-15 bases on the year, adding one outfield assist from his center-field post.
