April 10, 2010
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky (23-16, 8-9 SEC) took the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, 11-3, in five innings over South Carolina (10-28, 0-17 SEC) at the University of Kentucky Softball Complex.
Junior first baseman Laura Mendes went 3-for-3 for the Gamecocks. Molly Johnson and Natalie Smith both went 3-for-3 for Kentucky, scoring all three times they reached. Megan Yocke had five RBI for the Wildcats.
The Wildcats got three in the first, with Smith starting things off with her RBI single before scoring on Samantha DeMartine’s double to center. Rachel Riley posted the third RBI with her hit to right. With the bases loaded, Destinee Mordecai lined a ball to third that freshman Hannah Milks snagged before she turned to step on the bag to get the unassisted double play and get the Gamecocks out of the inning.
Kentucky got its biggest contribution in the second when Yocke hit a grand slam to take a 7-0 lead. That advantage grew to 11-0 in the third. Two walks to start the inning led to Johnson’s two-RBI double. Yocke had a sacrifice fly to plate Johnson, while DeMartine capped the Wildcats’ scoring with her double.
The Gamecocks tried to mount a comeback in the fourth. Two runs scored on sophomore Evan Childs’ sacrifice fly, as the Kentucky left fielder dropped the ball to let both Mendes and P.J. Fulmer score. Sophomore Lauren Lackey plated Childs with an RBI single.
Kentucky starter Chanda Bell (13-8) allowed three runs, one earned, on five hits and two walks while striking out nine. Kierstyn White (0-1) got the loss in her first start of the year, giving up 11 earned runs on 13 hits and three walks. She fanned four.
