April 24, 2012
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Behind a three-hit outing from senior pitcher Rachel Riley and offensive help from Alice O’Brien and Emily Jolly, the University of Kentucky softball team powered its way past Morehead State 3-1, on a windy Tuesday afternoon at the UK Softball Complex in Lexington, Ky.
Riley went the distance allowing only three hits and one run while striking out seven batters in the game. Riley improves to 7-7 on the year with the win.
Kentucky now stands at 24-26 overall with the outcome while the Eagles suffer their 32nd loss of the season, as they now stand at 12-32 in 2012.
UK jumped out in front in the first inning of the game as Kara Dill tapped home to give the Cats the 1-0 lead in the early going. With one down in the inning, Dill singled through the right side, which was followed up by another single from Riley through the right side as well. Ginny Carroll came through with two outs, lacing a hard ground ball down the third-base line, scoring Dill from second.
The Wildcats would play add-on in the second inning as junior Alice O’Brien would crush a ball deep down the right-field line that crushed the foul pole in right for her first home run of the season. O’Brien would end the day 1-2 at the plate.
Morehead State would not quit late in the game, as the Eagles would strike for their only run of the game in the top of the sixth. MSU’s Adrena Anderson reached on an error to lead off the inning and would later be brought around to score as Elizabeth Wagner’s sacrifice fly would bring home Anderson to cut the UK lead to 2-1 through five and a half.
Kentucky would tack on its final run of the game in the bottom of the sixth when Emily Jolly went yard to left field to connect on her fifth home run of the season.
Riley would retire the Eagles in the top of the seventh to conclude the game at 3-1.
Kentucky next travels to Gainesville, Fla., for a three-game Southeastern Conference series beginning on Friday night against No. 2 Florida.
For continuing coverage of the 2012 UK Softball Invitational and the 2012 UK softball season, log on to UKathletics.com.
