April 6, 2011
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. –– Junior Chanda Bell tossed the first perfect game in school history in leading No. 18 Kentucky to a 16-0 (6) shutout of Austin Peay in the opening game of a doubleheader Wednesday in Clarksville, Tenn. Bell tossed 6.0 flawless innings, striking out 15 of the 18 outs in the contest.
The Wildcats improve to 26-7 overall on the season, while Austin Peay falls to 8-26 on the year. The teams will return to the field immediately for the nightcap of their scheduled doubleheader.
Bell was exceptional during her history-making day. She allowed just three outs in the air with a pair of fly-outs in the outfield and foul-out to third. With the 15 Ks she has now notched 15 or more strikeouts six times in her career. The Indianapolis native had previously recorded three career no-hitters, including two this season, but this marks the first perfect game for any Wildcat in school history.
UK’s offense put together its most impressive performance of the season as two players recorded their first career hits led by junior Ashleigh Gustafson’s three-run homer in the sixth. UK plated 13 runs in the fifth frame to take a commanding lead.
Senior Samantha DeMartine blasted a two-run shot in the opening frame and finished the day 2-for-3 with three RBI. Freshman Ginny Carroll also recorded her first career hit with a single into right-center in the fifth frame.
Kentucky opened the scoring in during the visitor’s side of the first. Senior Megan Yocke singled up the middle and sophomore Kara Dill brought her home with an RBI double into the left-center gap. With two outs, DeMartine connected with the first offering of her at-bat and drilled a two-run long ball over the left-center wall for a 3-0 UK advantage.
It marked the third homer in UK’s last five outings for Kentucky’s senior first baseman.
Bell opened the game by striking out the first batter she faced. Senior Meagan Aull then corralled a fly ball in center for the second out before Bell picked up her second strikeout of the stanza.
In the second frame, UK’s right-hander from Indianapolis struck out the side to run her total to five in the first six outs.
The right-hander kept the streak going with consecutive strikeouts to start the third. She then forced a fly-out to O’Brien in right to end the stanza. Bell then matched her performance from the second stanza by forcing all three Lady Gov batters to sit down on strikes. With the three strikeouts she ran her total to 10 on the evening to mark the 31st time in her career she has topped 10 or more strikeouts in a single game.
In the home half of the fifth, Bell struck out the first two batters of the stanza to mark five consecutive outs by way of a strikeout. The final out of the frame came when Bell forced a foul-out to Lamar at third.
The Wildcats added 13 runs in the top of the sixth to capture a 16-0 edge. Dill opened the frame by drawing a walk and then promptly stole second to shift into scoring position. Junior Brittany Cervantes drilled an RBI double that plucked the high centerfield fence to plate Dill from second. DeMartine then registered her third RBI of the game with a single along the left field line.
Carroll kept the rally going with a single into right-center to place runners on the corners. Gustafson then connected with the second home run of the game for a three-run shot over the left-center fence for the Blue and White.
Freshman Aubrey Lamar kept things going when she drew her second walk of the game. Junior Erika Silence reached base with a walk and Aull singled into left-center to load the bases. Freshman Emily Gaines sent a chopper to second that plated Lamar. The runners would shift a bag on a passed ball and Silence would have enough time to come home.
Cervantes then laid down a sacrifice bunt and was able to reach thanks to a fielding error by Austin Peay’s third baseman. Freshman Krystal Smith was plucked with a pitch to reload the bases with just one out. Carroll recorded her first career RBI when she was able to draw a walk and plate Gaines. Silence’s single into left field scored the final two runs of the frame for UK.
To finalize the game, Bell struck out the final three outs of the game to conclude her history-making performance in stylish fashion.
Complete coverage of the UK softball team can be found at UKathletics.com all season long.
