March 23, 2011
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Senior Megan Aull ran her career long hitting streak to 10 games with a single in the sixth inning, but Louisville earned a 6-0 upset of No. 23/24 Kentucky Wednesday night at Ulmer Stadium in Louisville, Ky. The win is the eighth consecutive in the series for the Cardinals.
Kentucky falls to 19-7 overall on the season while Louisville improves to 19-9 on the year. Junior pitcher Chanda Bell takes the loss on the mound for the Blue and White to drop to 7-4 on the season.
Aull led five different Wildcats with a hit in the game as she extends her career best hitting streak to 10 games. Junior Brittany Cervantes, senior Megan Yocke, junior Macy Allen and senior Annie Rowlands all charted a single for the Blue and White, but UK’s offense never got going in the contest as the reigning Big East Pitcher of the Week Tori Collins quelled the Wildcat offense.
The Wildcats had a pair of base runners in the top of the second with junior Rachel Riley reaching by way of a walk and senior Samantha DeMartine was plucked with a pitch. The inning came to a close with runners on first and second when UK pinch runner Ginny Carroll was picked off at second.
Louisville’s Alicja Wolny broke open a scoreless tie with a one-out solo home run over the right field fence to score the only run the Cardinals would need at 1-0.
Kentucky had an opportunity to scratch the scoreboard in the top half of the third. Rowlands began the one-out rally with a single that nicked off of the second baseman’s glove and fell into right-center. Yocke followed suit with a single through the left side. The runners shifted into scoring position when sophomore Kara Dill grounded out to the shortstop, but the inning came to a close with a grounder back to the first baseman to prevent UK from answering.
The Cardinals added to its advantage with a run in the bottom of the third to increase its lead to two runs with a 2-0 score. Louisville plated the score behind a one-out sacrifice fly to center.
Louisville tacked on two more runs in the fifth to capture a 4-0 edge. The home squad began the inning with a leadoff double and that run would come home on a double-steal effort. The second tally of the frame rounded home on an erroneous throw by the Blue and White on a routine grounder.
Kentucky could not convert another opportunity in the sixth. Aull extended her hitting streak with a blooper over the shortstop’s head and Cervantes was able to reach with an infield bunt single. Riley sent a screamer into the left-center gap and Louisville’s center fielder made a spectacular snag. Aull thinking it would drop took off for home and never saw the ball being corralled. Louisville was able to turn the fly out into a double play by flicking it to second with Aull off the bag.
Louisville charted two more runs in the bottom of the sixth to make the final margin of 6-0. The Cardinals recorded three straight singles to begin the stanza and the first run came in on another sacrifice fly to center. The fourth hit of the inning brought in the final run of the game.
Kentucky and Louisville will complete the home-and-home series when the Cardinals make a stop at the UK Softball Complex on April 20 at 6 p.m. ET.
Allen singled with one out in the top of the seventh in a last-ditch comeback rally for the Wildcats.
The Wildcats will return to Southeastern Conference action with a three-game home series March 25-27. UK welcomes Mississippi State to the UK Softball Complex with a first pitch Friday, March 25 at 6 p.m. ET.
Complete coverage of the UK softball team can be found at UKathletics.com all season long.
