Nine Unanswered Runs Salvage Series at New Mexico State
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Senior pitcher Erin Rethlake pitched her seventh-career complete game on Sunday and got 10 runs to aid her in a 10-2 win over the New Mexico State Aggies to salvage a game from the season-opening series to give the Wildcats their first win of the season.
Rethlake needed just 77 pitches to glide through the complete game, and 52 of those 77 pitches went for strikes. She retired 15 of the last 16 batters of the game in order, only allowing two base hits in the final four innings. The complete game for Rethlake is the first for her since April 25 of last season in a 5-0 win over Eastern Kentucky.
Offensively, Kentucky scored 10 runs today, bringing its season total to 25 runs scored – the most scored through three games in program history, beating out the 2014 season by two runs.
Part of the offensive success for Kentucky this weekend was Abbey Cheek, who had two home runs in the game on Sunday – bringing her season total to three. With her second HR on Sunday, she now has 25 for her career. Cheek is the quickest player in school history to reach 25 career home runs, reaching the mark in her 121st career game played at Kentucky. Brittany Cervantes, the previous record holder, reached 25 career home runs in her 127th career game played.
Kentucky is now 1-2 on the season, and will head west to the Campbell/Cartier Classic in San Diego next weekend to play five games in three days. The tournament kicks off on Thursday night at 9 p.m. ET against SDSU.
Key Stat
Four. Kentucky hit four home runs in Sunday’s game, with two from Abbey Cheek, and one each from Jenny Schaper and Katie Reed.
Key Play
Abbey Cheek’s first home run in the top of the third gave UK the lead back after NMSU scored two in the bottom of the second to make it 2-1, Aggies. After Schaper reached on an error, Cheek homered to center to make it 3-2, UK.
Key Player
Katie Reed was the key player in the game on Sunday, going 3-for-4 at the plate with two singles, a home run, a stolen base, three runs scored and two RBI. Reed is hitting .545 on the season through three games with six hits, six runs, two doubles, two HR’s and a stolen base.
Run Recap
UK scored first on a two-out rally in the top of the first inning. Katie Reed singled and came around to score on an Alex Martens double to the wall in right. UK 1, NMST 0
In the bottom of the second, Destiny Blueford hit a two-run home run to give the Aggies their only runs of the game. NMST 2, UK 1
Kentucky took the lead back for good in the third inning on Abbey Cheek’s first home run of the day, a two-run shot also scoring Schaper on the play, who reached via an error. UK 3, NMST 2
Katie Reed led off the fifth inning with a bunt single and came around to score on Jenny Schaper’s home run over the wall and into the wind. UK 5, NMST 2
UK hit around in the seventh inning, giving Rethlake all the cushion she needed to close out the game. Bailey Vick led off the inning with a single, which was followed by a home run into the wind by Katie Reed, her second of the season. After a walk to Schaper and a single by Martens, Abbey Cheek homered to left center to score three more. FINAL – #13 Kentucky 10, New Mexico State 2
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