Softball prepares for Wright State
April 8, 2014
By Justin Chartrand
UK softball is gearing up to face Wright State on Tuesday at John Cropp Stadium.
The No. 12 Cats are coming into the matchup after winning a weekend series over No. 21 Texas A&M.
UK senior captain Lauren Cumbess has officially returned to the Cats’ lineup after an ankle injury. She is expected to start Tuesday.
“I’m getting there. I feel like I’m getting stronger every day,” Cumbess said. “Soon I feel like I’m going to be 100 percent.”
The Raiders have a record of 7-23 and are 2-12 playing on the road this season.
The Cats’ offense has been riding on the bat of sophomore Nikki Sagermann.
Sagermann has totaled seven RBIs along with one home run and seven hits in the past four games.
“She is one of those hitters that’s willing to stay in the box and let it come to you,” said UK head coach Rachel Lawson. “I think her play is a lot of the reason why we’ve been able to win quite a few games the past couple weeks.”
Senior Emily Gaines has also been key for the Cats.
Gaines has had eight multiple-RBI games this season (the most on the team), and she smashed her second walk-off homer of the season Saturday to lift the Cats over the Aggies.
Despite Sagermann’s and Gaines’ production, Lawson wants to see more runs cross the plate.
“We have a lot of good hitters that really haven’t had an opportunity to get in there,” Lawson said. “We’d like to continue to develop them and I think the mid-week games gives us a great opportunity to do that.”
