ADVERTISEMENT

Rough start for UK Softball

Jeff Drummond

Moderator
Moderator
Nov 25, 2002
81,131
101,853
113
52
LEXINGTON, KY
UK MEDIA RELATIONS
SOFTBALL

FEBRUARY 10, 2018


No. 17/13 Kentucky Swept in Doubleheader by Aggies

Wildcats close opening weekend on Sunday


LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State Aggies, one of the best offensive teams in the country, lived up to their billing on Saturday, scoring double-digit runs against Kentucky leading them to a doubleheader sweep over the No. 13 Wildcats.


The Wildcats had leads in both games, as UK plated 15 runs of their own, but were unable to score enough to keep up with the Aggies.


Katie Reed and Bailey Vick were bright spots for the UK offense, as Vick went 3-for-3 in the second game, scoring a run and driving in two. Reed had three hits, with two doubles and a home run, driving in a team-high five runs.


The three-game series concludes at 6 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon.


Game 1 – New Mexico State 12, Kentucky 9

Key Stat

12. The 12 runs given up by Kentucky were the most since giving up 20 to UAB in a March 12, 2012 pre-conference tournament at the UK Softball Complex.


Key Play

With the game tied 4-4 in the fourth inning, NMST’s Amy Bergeson roped a double to score three runs, and put the Aggies ahead for good.


Key Player

The key player in the game for Kentucky was Katie Reed, who had a double, a homer and three RBI.


Run Recap

After the first three batters of the game reached for New Mexico State, they all came around to score on a double from Victoria Castro. NMST 3, UK 0


Kentucky would score four runs in the top of the second, as Katie Reed delivered a two-RBI double into center and then an error allowed two more to score. UK 4, NMST 3


New Mexico State tied the game in the bottom of the second on Kelsey Horton’s two-out double and also took the lead with the next batter’s base hit. UK 4, NMST 2


The bottom of the fourth proved to be costly for Kentucky, as NM State struck for five runs on three hits. The first three batters of the inning were walked before a hit batsman forced in a run. With two outs, Bergeson doubled to score three and then a fourth run scored on an RBI single. NMST 10, UK 4


Katie Reed led off the fifth inning with a home run to center field to score UK’s fifth run of the game. IT was one of her pair hits in the game. NMST 10, UK 5


Lead-off walks continued to haunt UK as two were issued to lead off the fifth, and they both came around to score on a base hit. NMST 12, UK 5


Kentucky scored four runs in the seventh as Alex Martens homered to score three, and Abbey Cheek hit a solo bomb. FINAL – New Mexico State 12, #13 Kentucky 9


Game 2 – New Mexico State 10, Kentucky 6

Key Stat

Saturday marked the first time since March 22, 2008 that UK had given up double-digit runs in back-to-back games (11 and 14 to No. 1-ranked Alabama). That was the first season of head coach Rachel Lawson’s tenure at Kentucky.


Key Play

Victoria Castro hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning to give NM State the lead that they would not relinquish.


Key Player

The key player in game two for Kentucky was Bailey Vick who went 3-for-3 with three singles and two RBI.


Run Recap

Kentucky scored the first four runs of the game in the top of the second inning. Kelsee Henson and Jenny Schaper both got aboard with singles and came around to score on a Bailey Vick single. Katie Reed doubled in Vick, and Erin Rethlake singled in Reed to make it 4-0. UK 4, NMST 0


NM State would tie the game on a grand slam from Kelsey Horton in the bottom of the third inning. UK 4, NMST 4


UK re-took the lead in the top of the fifth inning as Jenny Schaper’s single scored Erin Rethlake from second base and Lauren Johnson’s plate appearance plated Abbey Cheek. UK 6, NMST 4


The Aggies scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth on a two-run HR and then four base hits. NMST 7, UK 6


The final three runs of the game were scored off a two-run HR from Victoria Castro and an RBI-double from Caity Szczesny. FINAL – New Mexico State 10, #13 Kentucky 6


For the latest on UK Softball, follow the Wildcats on Twitter and Instagram at @UKSoftball.
 
UK MEDIA RELATIONS
SOFTBALL

FEBRUARY 11, 2018


Nine Unanswered Runs Salvage Series at New Mexico State

Wildcats hit four home runs in 10-2 win over Aggies


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. ETagainst 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


For the latest on UK Softball, follow the Wildcats on Twitter and Instagram at @UKSoftball.
 
Glad to see the girls rebound and get the W. Losing Meagan Prince definitely hurt. If you've never been to a softball game, you're missing out.
 
  • Like
Reactions: parrott
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT