Softball splits double-header with Auburn, loses series
March 31, 2014
By Justin Chartrand
UK softball’s first SEC series, against No. 21 Auburn University, was stalled on Saturday due to rain.
After falling to Auburn 7-6 on Friday, UK softball came into the double-header Sunday looking for redemption after the loss.
No. 8 UK lost its senior captain, Lauren Cumbess, in the first game on Sunday due to an ankle injury, but the Cats came back and won, 2-1, in the second half of the double-header.
UK lost Cumbess during the bottom of the first inning after a collision at first base when she was attempting to beat out a throw.
“Lauren’s gift is that she is able to keep people off balance through with change in speed and direction,” UK head coach Rachel Lawson said. “She can really spin the ball so she would have been the ideal person to throw in that situation. Hopefully she will just be out for a couple of days.”
Cumbess was taken out of the game and never returned.
The Tigers were propelled to victory by a grand slam from sophomore Jade Rhodes in the top of the third as Auburn tacked on a couple more runs after Rhodes’ grand slam and held off UK’s rally in the sixth inning.
The second matchup brought out the best in sophomore pitcher Kelsey Nunley as she tied her career high by tossing 11 strikeouts and held the Tigers to one run. The Cats were able to hold on for a 2-1 victory.
“My team kept reminding me of how they had my back no matter what,” Nunley said. “They said it doesn’t matter, we’re behind you, just pitch like you can, and that’s what I did.”
The Cats return to action Wednesday to face in-state rival University of Louisville.
“Louisville is an incredible team and they’re a top 25 program,” Lawson said. “If we can clean up our defense and do a good job putting runners across the plate, I think we’ll have a pretty good showing.”
