UK Softball Wins Multiple Home Games With Walkoffs
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Photo by Chet White | UK Athletics[/caption]
The Cats started their first home game opener at John Cropp Stadium Friday against Butler with Kelsey Nunley on the mound and Griffin Joiner behind the plate. UK defeated Butler 9-7 with homeruns from Emily Jolly and Lauren Cumbess. A rally in the fourth by Butler forced head coach Rachel Lawson to go to the bullpen for freshmen pitcher Meagan Prince after Butler loaded the bases. After an illegal pitch, a wild pitch and an error by the Cats, Butler pushed three across the plate, entering the bottom of the fourth down 8-3. The Cats were able to score one more run with a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the 6th. Butler didn’t give up without a fight in the 7th inning, as they rallied back, scoring 4 more runs but coming up short handed against the Cats, 9-7 with Prince recording the win, who is now 3-0 on the season. The win over Butler was head coach Rachel Lawson’s 300th career win.
The Cats took on Pittsburg in their second game of the tournament on Saturday with the same duo of Lauren Cumbess on the mound, and Griffin Joiner behind the plate. Pittsburg went up early 2-0 with a two-run homerun in the first inning. The Cats remained scoreless until the bottom of the 5th inning when Maisie Steed hit a solo homerun to reduce the lead 2-1. Ansley Smith then hit a RBI single to tie the game in the bottom of the 5th. Lauren Cumbess held Pittsburg from scoring in the 6th before being relieved from the mound in the 7th inning by Meagan Prince and moved to first base. Prince had a 1-2-3 inning but the Cats were unable to produce on the offensive side in the bottom of the 7th, which led to extra innings. Ansley Smith won it for the Cats in the bottom of the 9th with a walkoff single that scored two runs, ending the game 4-3.
UK then took on EKU in their last game on Saturday with freshmen pitcher Shannon Smith. EKU came out swinging with a solo homerun in the first inning. The Cats went hitless throughout the first 6 innings before Griffin Joiner broke up the no-hitter with a single to leftfield. Christian Stokes then reached base and Emily Gaines followed it up with her first career home run, which happened to be a 3-run walkoff homerun to defeat EKU 3-1.
The games that were scheduled for today, Sunday March 2nd, have been canceled due to weather, but EKU and UK will plan to make up there game later in the season. The Cats are now 16-2 on the season and will now focus their attention to Southeastern Conference play next Friday in Starkville, Mississippi against the Mississippi State Bulldogs.
Photo by Chet White | UK Athletics[/caption]
The Cats started their first home game opener at John Cropp Stadium Friday against Butler with Kelsey Nunley on the mound and Griffin Joiner behind the plate. UK defeated Butler 9-7 with homeruns from Emily Jolly and Lauren Cumbess. A rally in the fourth by Butler forced head coach Rachel Lawson to go to the bullpen for freshmen pitcher Meagan Prince after Butler loaded the bases. After an illegal pitch, a wild pitch and an error by the Cats, Butler pushed three across the plate, entering the bottom of the fourth down 8-3. The Cats were able to score one more run with a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the 6th. Butler didn’t give up without a fight in the 7th inning, as they rallied back, scoring 4 more runs but coming up short handed against the Cats, 9-7 with Prince recording the win, who is now 3-0 on the season. The win over Butler was head coach Rachel Lawson’s 300th career win.
The Cats took on Pittsburg in their second game of the tournament on Saturday with the same duo of Lauren Cumbess on the mound, and Griffin Joiner behind the plate. Pittsburg went up early 2-0 with a two-run homerun in the first inning. The Cats remained scoreless until the bottom of the 5th inning when Maisie Steed hit a solo homerun to reduce the lead 2-1. Ansley Smith then hit a RBI single to tie the game in the bottom of the 5th. Lauren Cumbess held Pittsburg from scoring in the 6th before being relieved from the mound in the 7th inning by Meagan Prince and moved to first base. Prince had a 1-2-3 inning but the Cats were unable to produce on the offensive side in the bottom of the 7th, which led to extra innings. Ansley Smith won it for the Cats in the bottom of the 9th with a walkoff single that scored two runs, ending the game 4-3.
UK then took on EKU in their last game on Saturday with freshmen pitcher Shannon Smith. EKU came out swinging with a solo homerun in the first inning. The Cats went hitless throughout the first 6 innings before Griffin Joiner broke up the no-hitter with a single to leftfield. Christian Stokes then reached base and Emily Gaines followed it up with her first career home run, which happened to be a 3-run walkoff homerun to defeat EKU 3-1.
The games that were scheduled for today, Sunday March 2nd, have been canceled due to weather, but EKU and UK will plan to make up there game later in the season. The Cats are now 16-2 on the season and will now focus their attention to Southeastern Conference play next Friday in Starkville, Mississippi against the Mississippi State Bulldogs.
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