May 22, 2010
Box Score | Live blog vs. winner of Ohio State-Bucknell
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Kentucky stranded seven runners on the base paths and could never push across a run despite a tremendous pitching effort from sophomore Chanda Bell in a 1-0 loss to 11th-seeded California Saturday. UK will now play the winner of the Ohio State-Bucknell game at 5:30 p.m. ET later this evening for the right to advance to the championship portion of the Columbus regional in the double-elimination tournament.
Bell went the distance and yielded just two hits to a potent California attack. She struck out four in the loss. Kentucky falls to 32-26 overall on the season with Cal improving to 43-17.
Megan Yocke led the bats with a 2-for-2 performance while also reaching base on a walk as well.
Cal got off to a quick 1-0 lead behind the 18th home run of the season off the bat of Valerie Arioto in the top of the first inning.
Yocke charted a two-out single through the right side in the bottom half of the inning, but UK would strand her on first with a deep fly out to centerfield.
After sitting the Golden Bears down in order in the top of the second, Samantha DeMartine led off the bottom of the frame and drew a full-count walk. Meagan Aull laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance pinch runner Macy Allen into scoring position, but UK would leave her aboard after suffering consecutive outs to end the inning.
Yocke earned her second infield single of the game when she led off the bottom of the fourth reaching base with a chopper to the shortstop. Brittany Cervantes shifted the runner into scoring position, but UK would fall on the next two at-bats to leave its third base runner of the game on the paths.
Cal had a two-out single in the top of the fifth, but UK quickly dispersed of the inning when Bell forced a groundout to Molly Johnson at short.
UK had its best chance of the game up until that point when Natalie Smith singled up the middle with two outs and Yocke drew a walk to place two runners aboard. Kentucky would leave the runners stranded, however, suffering consecutive outs to end the inning.
Kentucky put up a last-ditch fight in the seventh with a bit of a two-out rally. Annie Rowlands singled up the middle and Kara Dill followed with a walk. UK’s rally would end there however, as the final out game-ending strikeout.
Kentucky will play the winner of the Ohio State-Bucknell game at 5:30 p.m. ET later this afternoon.
COLUMBUS REGIONAL SCHEDULE
Game 4: Bucknell vs. Ohio State – 3 p.m.
Game 5: Game 4 winner vs. Kentucky – 5:30 p.m.
Saturday (times subject to change):
Sunday (times subject to change):
Game 6: Cal vs. Game 5 winner – 2:30 p.m.
Game 7, if needed: Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser – 5 p.m.
