Feb. 18, 2012
BOCA RATON, Fla. – Junior Alice O’Brien sliced a triple along the right field line in the fifth inning and came around to score on an errant throw to lift the No. 22/24 Kentucky softball team to a 2-1 victory over LIU Brooklyn. The win marked the third consecutive victory for the Blue and White.
Seniors Rachel Riley and Chanda Bell combined for the win in the circle as Bell gets credited with her first victory of the season. Riley worked four innings and yielded four hits while striking out four. Bell relived her classmate in the fifth, striking out five and allowing zero hits.
With the win Kentucky now owns a 4-3 record on the year, while LIU drops to 0-8. UK will return to the field at 1 p.m. ET in a matchup with No. 11 Michigan.
Junior Kara Dill led the offensive effort with a 2-for-3 day at the dish and a run scored. Three other UK players notched a hit with O’Brien recording the lone extra-base hit.
Dill earned a base with a well-placed two-out bunt single in the home half of the first. The speedy shortstop was able to move all the way to third when LIU Brooklyn threw the ball to first with nobody covering during the play. Riley then delivered an RBI single through the left side to plate the first run of the game and give UK a 1-0 advantage.
With the scored tied at one, O’Brien led off the bottom of the fifth with a triple that laced the right field line. An errant throw attempting to get the runner ended up in the dugout allowing O’Brien to scoot home and give UK the lead at 2-1, marking the only score it would need to hang on for the win.
Riley retired the side to begin the game for the Wildcats. She picked up a pair of strikeouts and forced a fly out to sophomore Emily Jolly in center for the quick three outs.
The Blackbirds had a prime opportunity in the top of the second when they loaded the bases behind a walk, a single and an error on the Wildcats. Riley, however, induced back-to-back groundouts to end the inning unscathed. Kentucky fell in order in the home half of the second still clinging to a one-run lead.
LIU Brooklyn evened the score at one with a solo homer in the top of the third. Kentucky responded by dropping in order in the home half of the inning.
Kentucky turned a double-play to highlight the defensive effort in the top of the fourth persevering the one-one tie. The Wildcats again dropped in order during the home side of the fifth.
Bell relieved Riley in the fifth and after yielding a leadoff walk, the right-hander notched nine consecutive outs to preserve the victory.
Follow along with the UK softball program all season long at UKathletics.com.
Kentucky’s Schedule at the Florida Atlantic Tournament
Friday, Feb. 17
Wright State – W, 3-0
Florida Atlantic – W, 6-3
Saturday, Feb. 18
LIU Brooklyn – W, 2-1
Michigan – 1 p.m. ET
Sunday, Feb. 19
Maryland – 11 a.m.
