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April 8, 2009

Box Score

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Faced with a 5-3 deficit heading into the seventh, Kentucky (25-14, 8-9 SEC) rallied for three runs in the bottom half of the inning to beat No. 12 Tennessee (30-9-1, 7-6-1 SEC), 6-5, and split a chilly Wednesday doubleheader at the UK Softball Complex in Lexington, Ky. UT emerged victorious in the opener, 14-2 (5 inn.).

Sophomore Jen Lapicki continued her amazing day at the plate by going 2-for-3 with two RBIs and her fifth homer of the season. The Oldwick, N.J., native completed the doubleheader hitting .857 (6-of-7) with a double, a HR and eight RBIs to raise her SEC-only batting average to a league-leading .524 (22-of-42). Junior first baseman Tiffany Huff went a perfect 3-for-3 at the dish and tallied her conference-best 57th RBI on her seventh home run of 2009. Senior left fielder Danielle Pieroni posted a 3-for-4 day at the dish, while sophomore center fielder Kelly Grieve contributed two hits.

Working 4.1 innings in relief of starter Ashton Ward, freshman Cat Hosfield permitted five earned runs on six hits, walked three and struck out one to fall to 21-8 overall. Ward allowed one unearned run on four hits with a walk and a K in 1.2 frames.

"You put up 19 runs and have 28 total hits in a doubleheader, and you shouldn't split," Lady Vol co-head coach Ralph Weekly said. "We obviously had a breakdown in the circle that cost us the second game. On a positive note, Jen Lapicki was phenomenal for us today and did everything she could do to help us win as did several of our other players."

As had already been the case 21 times entering the nightcap, Tennessee wasted no time in scoring during the opening frame of the doubleheader finale. With two outs in the inning, Huff stepped into the batter's box and blasted a towering fly ball to deep right, recording her seventh home run of the campaign as UT nabbed a quick 1-0 lead. Freshman third baseman Jessica Spigner battled through an epic 14-pitch at-bat before delivering a single back through the middle. Lapicki popped up harmlessly to third, however, as the frame came to a close.

A Molly Johnson lead-off double to center field, an infield single from center fielder Meagan Aull and a throwing error on that base knock tied the score at 1-1 in the bottom half of the first as Johnson crossed the dish. Ward rebounded quickly from her tough start to retire catcher Megan Yocke, third baseman Brittany Cervantes and second baseman Natalie Smith in order.

The Wildcats threatened again versus Ward in the bottom of the second as singles from first baseman Sam Demartine and right fielder Destinee Mordecai got UK in business with two outs. The decision was made to intentionally walk the dangerous Johnson, and then Hosfield was summoned into the contest to make a relief appearance. That move paid dividends as the 5-9 right hander forced Aull to pop out via blooper to left field as senior Danielle Pieroni raced in to make a tough, inning-ending basket catch while on the run.

Lapicki continued her hot hitting in SEC play opening the top of the fourth by hammering her fifth home run of the season over the left field wall, granting UT a 2-1 lead.

Hosfield settled the contest down in Kentucky's half of the fourth as the freshman hurler coerced a grounder from her counterpart Rachel Riley, struck out Demartine and got a foul pop-up off to the right side of the plate from left fielder Annie Rowlands.

Kajitani got a UT rally started opening the top of the fifth by ripping a single the other way through the right side of the infield and advanced to second on a Riley wild pitch. Huff delivered a base knock deep into the hole at short, advancing the lead runner to third with still no one retired. Following a Lady Vol "K," Lapicki picked up another RBI via a sacrifice bunt as Tennessee nabbed a 3-1 advantage. Freshman designated player Shelby Burchell improved that lead to 4-1 with a clean single into right field as Huff raced around to score all the way from second.

Mordecai utilized the long ball to cut Kentucky's deficit to two runs in the bottom of the fifth as she blasted a solo shot over the wall in deep left center. The scoring threat continued as Johnson battled to draw a walk and Aull followed with a single to right on a 0-2 pitch. After a sacrifice bunt advanced the runners to second and third, Cervantes lifted a sacrifice fly to deep center as Johnson crossed the dish, cutting the gap to 4-3. Smith walked with two down, bringing Riley to the plate facing a big opportunity. She bounced out routinely, however, as Kajitani scooped the ball at second and tossed on to Huff at first, leaving a pair of 'Cats stranded.

Pieroni christened the top of the sixth by ripping a single into right. Pinch runner Lillian Hammond moved 60 feet to second on a perfect sacrifice bunt from freshman shortstop Ashley Andrews. Grieve joined her on the base paths by beating out an infield single to short. With Kajitani at the dish, Grieve took off on a successful steal of second to join her teammate in scoring position with just one retired. After a Lady Vol groundout, Huff walked to load the bags, but a routine bouncer to short left the bases juiced.

Trailing by just one run, Demartine got something started for the Wildcats in the sixth by leading-off the inning with a base knock back up the middle. A successful sacrifice bunt from Rowlands advanced pinch runner Allie Jest into scoring position. Spigner handled a bouncer from Mordecai, checked the runner and tossed across the diamond to record the second out. The decision was made to intentionally walk Johnson for the second time in the match-up and again the decision paid off as Aull popped up on the infield to Spigner.

The incredible afternoon continued for Lapicki as she started the seventh with a high-bouncing base hit to third. A sac bunt from Burchell advanced the potential insurance tally to second with one down in the frame. Webb cashed it in by driving a double into the right center field gap, scoring freshman pinch runner Holly Baker from second for a 5-3 lead. Andrews walked with two retired, placing two aboard with the top of the Tennessee order coming to bat. Grieve slapped a ball that checked up right in front of the circle and hustled down the line to beat out Riley's throw to first. With the bases juiced and two down, Kajitani ripped a liner right at Johnson as the UK shortstop made a leaping grab to conclude the inning with no further scoring.

With UK down to its last chance in regulation, Yocke opened the inning with a base knock into center field. Cervantes followed by blasting a two-run homer to deep left as the Wildcats forged a tie at 5-5. Smith quickly untied the contest by hammering her first home run of the year down the line in right as Kentucky secured a shocking 6-5, come-from-behind victory.

No. 12 Tennessee will return to action on Friday night at 7 p.m. ET at the Lee Softball Stadium in the opener of the three-game set with Auburn. Live stats will be available through utladyvols.com.