UK Softball Takes SEC Series Win Over Texas A&M
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Photo by Chet White | UK Athletics[/caption]
No. 12 UK faced No. 18 Texas A&M in a three-day three-game series over the weekend at John Crop Stadium. The Aggies took game one on Friday 6-1 despite five scoreless innings from freshman relief pitcher Shannon Smith who replaced Kelsey Nunley in the third. Nunley walked three, struck out five and allowed six earned runs on five hits in the first two innings. Shannon Smith allowed only two hits and struck out five in her five innings. However the Aggies posted six runs in the first two innings against Nunley and UK’s offense had trouble answering back. The solo run of the game for the Cats came from shortstop Christian Stokes, who hit her second home run of the season. Nunley recorded the loss and is now 13-4 on the season.
Game 2:
The Cats had an answer for the Aggies in game two of the series on Saturday. The Cats faced extra innings against Texas A&M and took a 4-2 win in the 10th inning after a two-run walk-off homerun by senior outfielder Emily Gaines. The homerun records her fourth of the season, and second walk off home run of the season. Lauren Cumbess started on the mound for Wildcats coming off an injury obtained a week ago when Cumbess collided with Auburn’s first baseman, tweaking her ankle. Cumbess pitched four innings, allowing three hits with one run while walking and striking out one before being replaced by Kelsey Nunley.
Nunley picked up the win after pitching a total of six innings in the prolonged game, allowing five hits, one unearned run, walked one and struck out five. Ginny Carroll, Silver Samuel and Emily Gaines all had a multi-hit game with Gaines recording three RBI, stretching her hitting streak to a career best 10 games. Nikki Sagermann also recorded a hit and RBI in the 4-2 win over the Aggies.
Game 3:
The Cats stole the series from the Aggies in game three on Sunday 5-3, and are now 31-8 on the season and 7-5 in SEC play. Freshman pitcher Meagan Prince started in the circle for the Cats with a 1-2-3 first inning. Prince was quickly backed with run support from the Cats after a two-on two-out homerun by Nikki Sagermann to put the Cats up 3-0 in the first. The Aggies cut the lead to 3-2 after a two-run homerun in the fifth inning. The Cats went on to score another run in the bottom of the fifth on a throwing error to first. Prince loaded the bases in the sixth inning and a grounder cut the lead 4-3 before she was replaced by Shannon Smith who successfully got out of the jam with no more damage done. The Wildcats scored one more run in the bottom of the sixth after a sacrifice fly by Christian Stokes to take the 2-1 series win over No. 18 Texas A&M.
The Cats will continue their home game stretch on Tuesday at 5:00pm against Wright State and will turn around and play Mississippi Valley State on Wednesday at 5:00pm. The Cats will then Travel to Oxford, Mississippi on Friday for a three-day three-game SEC series against Ole Miss.
Photo by Chet White | UK Athletics[/caption]
No. 12 UK faced No. 18 Texas A&M in a three-day three-game series over the weekend at John Crop Stadium. The Aggies took game one on Friday 6-1 despite five scoreless innings from freshman relief pitcher Shannon Smith who replaced Kelsey Nunley in the third. Nunley walked three, struck out five and allowed six earned runs on five hits in the first two innings. Shannon Smith allowed only two hits and struck out five in her five innings. However the Aggies posted six runs in the first two innings against Nunley and UK’s offense had trouble answering back. The solo run of the game for the Cats came from shortstop Christian Stokes, who hit her second home run of the season. Nunley recorded the loss and is now 13-4 on the season.
Game 2:
The Cats had an answer for the Aggies in game two of the series on Saturday. The Cats faced extra innings against Texas A&M and took a 4-2 win in the 10th inning after a two-run walk-off homerun by senior outfielder Emily Gaines. The homerun records her fourth of the season, and second walk off home run of the season. Lauren Cumbess started on the mound for Wildcats coming off an injury obtained a week ago when Cumbess collided with Auburn’s first baseman, tweaking her ankle. Cumbess pitched four innings, allowing three hits with one run while walking and striking out one before being replaced by Kelsey Nunley.
Nunley picked up the win after pitching a total of six innings in the prolonged game, allowing five hits, one unearned run, walked one and struck out five. Ginny Carroll, Silver Samuel and Emily Gaines all had a multi-hit game with Gaines recording three RBI, stretching her hitting streak to a career best 10 games. Nikki Sagermann also recorded a hit and RBI in the 4-2 win over the Aggies.
Game 3:
The Cats stole the series from the Aggies in game three on Sunday 5-3, and are now 31-8 on the season and 7-5 in SEC play. Freshman pitcher Meagan Prince started in the circle for the Cats with a 1-2-3 first inning. Prince was quickly backed with run support from the Cats after a two-on two-out homerun by Nikki Sagermann to put the Cats up 3-0 in the first. The Aggies cut the lead to 3-2 after a two-run homerun in the fifth inning. The Cats went on to score another run in the bottom of the fifth on a throwing error to first. Prince loaded the bases in the sixth inning and a grounder cut the lead 4-3 before she was replaced by Shannon Smith who successfully got out of the jam with no more damage done. The Wildcats scored one more run in the bottom of the sixth after a sacrifice fly by Christian Stokes to take the 2-1 series win over No. 18 Texas A&M.
The Cats will continue their home game stretch on Tuesday at 5:00pm against Wright State and will turn around and play Mississippi Valley State on Wednesday at 5:00pm. The Cats will then Travel to Oxford, Mississippi on Friday for a three-day three-game SEC series against Ole Miss.
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