Every Tuesday, UK Athletics recognizes outstanding performances for our student-athletes. These are the honorees for the week ending Sunday, Apr. 8:
Softball: Brittany Cervantes
Senior Brittany Cervantes exploded offensively for the Wildcats during a critical SEC series this weekend. Cervantes batted .500 against South Carolina while blasting three home runs, scoring five times and driving in four runs in helping UK keep pace in the hunt for the SEC Tournament. Cervantes, UK’s career home run leader, had struggled early this season with finding her offensive rhythm and had hit just two home runs in her first 36 games this season. She then became the first UK player this season to hit home runs in three consecutive games – also a career-best for UK’s all-time power leader. Cervantes batted in the leadoff spot this weekend and in the rubber game with the Gamecocks on Sunday, she watched the visitor’s plate two runs in the top half of the first and answered with her second leadoff homer of the series to jump-start UK’s offensive effort en route to plating 10 scores for the first time this season against league competition.
Gymnastics: Caitlyn Ciokajlo
Had a strong showing for Kentucky on uneven bars, posting a career-high tying 9.875 on the event at the NCAA Regional. The high mark placed the junior in fifth place overall at the event.
Baseball: Austin Cousino
Centerfielder Austin Cousino continued to pace the top offensive unit in college baseball atop the batting order, leading UK to a series win over No. 10 Ole Miss and a midweek win over Dayton during a four-game week … Cousino hit .412 (7-for-17) with four runs, three doubles and three RBI, adding two walks and stealing a base … In the series opener vs. Dayton, Cousino went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs, a double, a walk and an RBI … In the series opener vs. Ole Miss, Cousino added a double and a walk , also collecting a hit in the second game of the set … In the series-clinching win on Sunday, Cousino went 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI, including a rally-sparking leadoff single in the late innings … On the year, Cousino leads UK in nearly every category, including average (.365), runs (35), hits (50), doubles (13) and steals (seven), adding one triple, five homers and 27 RBI … The 2011 Baseball America first-team high school All-America selection has reached base safely in 31 of his 32 career games and is currently riding a five-game hitting streak, reaching base safely in nine straight.
Softball: Griffin Joiner
Freshman Griffin Joiner led the Wildcat attack at the plate in a crucial series victory over South Carolina. Joiner led the team with a .444 average on the week, score three times, walked four times, drove in three runs and doubled twice while stealing her second base of the season. Joiner’s three-RBI day against the Gamecocks in the series-tying win marks a new career-high as well as the three walks she drew in the game. Joiner’s development at the plate has been a key for the Blue and White as she was one of just two players to tally a hit against No. 12 Louisville in a midweek contest. Behind the plate as UK’s catcher she caught two of the three base stealers in their attempts against the Gamecocks, adding to her repertoire.
Baseball: Luke Maile
Junior Luke Maile continued to pace the NCAA’s leading offense during a four-game week, leading Kentucky its fourth consecutive series win to open conference play, with a series victory over No. 10 Ole Miss … Maile collected a staggering 20 total bases in four games, launching three homers and three doubles with six RBI, batting .471 (8-for-17) … The catcher extended his seven-game hitting streak during the week, starting with a two-homer game in UK’s midweek win over Dayton, including a double and four RBI … In the series-opener vs. Ole Miss, Maile collected a pair of run-sparking doubles in a 3-2 win, scoring both runs, including the go-ahead tally in the late innings … In the series clincher, Maile put UK on the board with a solo homer to even the game, going 2-for-4 with two runs … In the second game vs. Ole Miss, Maile collected a single … On the year, Maile has hit .341 (42-for-123) with nine doubles, nine homers and 26 RBI, stealing seven bases.
Baseball: Alex Phillips
Senior left-handed reliever Alex Phillips was a workhorse for the UK bullpen during a four-game week, pitching on Friday and Sunday to win and save UK’s two series-clinching victories over No. 10 Ole Miss … In the series opener, Phillips came on in relief of starter Taylor Rogers, tossing 3.1 shutout innings, striking out three to pick up the win … On Sunday, with UK facing its third consecutive rubber match, Phillips worked three innings just two days after his first three-inning workload, allowing one run to pick up the save … Phillips has been a major force for a stout UK bullpen on the year, appearing in 14 games with a 5-0 record and a 2.01 ERA, totaling two saves in 31.1 innings.
Men’s tennis: Eric Quigley
Quigley was the star of the weekend for Kentucky, winning both of his singles matches to increase his impressive record to 10-0 against SEC foes. The native of Pewee Valley, Ky., defeated two highly ranked foes during the week, including No. 15 Artem Ilyushin and No. 19 Nik Scholtz. Quigley’s win over Scholtz was the match clincher in its win over Ole Miss.
