Schaper Hits Two Home Runs, Spangler Throws Shutout in Win
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The No. 23/24 Kentucky softball team exploded for 13 runs on 14 hits Tuesday afternoon in a 13-0 win over the Northern Kentucky Norse for its 25th win of the season.
Senior catcher Jenny Schaper hit two home runs in the game, and tied her career record for RBI in a game with five, as she hit both a two-run home run in the top of the fourth and then a three-run home run in the top of the fifth.
Freshman pitcher Tatum Spangler pitched a complete-game shutout for the first time in her career on Tuesday night, going the distance on just 70 pitches. 47 of her 70 pitches were recorded as strikes, as she struck out three batters and walked just one batter on four hits.
Kentucky won its 11th game of the season via the run rule, the most it’s ever had under Rachel Lawson as head coach in one year.
The Wildcats will now turn their attention to No. 4 LSU over the weekend. UK and LSU will play a three-game series beginning on Friday night at 7 p.m. ET. All three games of the series in Baton Rouge, Louisiana will be shown live on the SEC Network+, ESPN3 and the ESPN app.
Key Stat
Four. There were four different players that had multi-hit games for the Wildcats. Jenny Schaper, Abbey Cheek, Alex Martens and Kayla Kowalik all had two hits in the game, with Martens recording three.
Key Play
The key play in the game was Jenny Schaper’s two-run home run in the top off the fourth inning. The homer was her seventh of the season and scored herself and Lauren Johnson, who tripled earlier in the inning.
Key Player
Tatum Spangler was the key player in the game, earning the complete-game shutout in the circle for the Wildcats, the first of her career – and also a 1-for-1 day at the plate with a sac fly and a double to lead off the top of the fourth.
Run Recap
In the top of the second, Alex Martens doubled and pinch runner Jaci Babbs came around to score on good baserunning thanks to a Katie Reed bunt single. Sac flies by Maclai Branson and Tatum Spangler brought in two more runs. UK 3, NKU 0
In the top of the third, Abbey Cheek led off the inning with a first-pitch home run into the wind in right field. Kayla Kowalik extended her on-base streak thanks to a single and came around to score on an RBI groundout by Katie Reed. UK 5, NKU 0
Spangler led off the top of the fourth with a double and scored on a triple into the right field corner by Lauren Johnson. Jenny Schaper then clobbered a two-run home run to center. Alex Martens grounded to the right side to score Cheek for her second run of the game later in the inning. UK 9, NKU 0
In the top of the fifth, Renee Abernathy walked to lead off the inning and Kelsee Henson doubled to right field. The lineup turned over for Schaper, who hit her second HR of the game to left and scored three. Alex Martens doubled and scored Tekiya Garr-Carter – who pinch ran for Abbey Cheek. FINAL – Kentucky 13, Northern Kentucky 0
For the latest on UK Softball, follow the Wildcats on Twitter and Instagram at @UKSoftball.
