Georgia sweeps UK 8-4

Catcher Griffin Joiner hurls the ball to another player during UK’s game against Georgia at John Cropp Stadium in Lexington, Ky., on Sunday, April 26, 2015. Photo by Lydia Emeric

By Jordan Ondrof

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The SEC continues to tighten its chokehold on a struggling UK team as Georgia becomes the 16th conference team to defeat the Cats this season as the Bulldogs held off UK 8-4 on Senior Day.

Griffin Joiner hit two home runs in the loss, but six Georgia runs in the top of the fifth inning once again silenced UK as the Bulldogs swept the Cats at John Cropp Stadium.

The loss pushed UK even deeper into the conference hole with UK holding a 5-16 record in the SEC, a byproduct of inconsistency, which Joiner noted after the loss.

“We’re going to keep trying to work on the little things,” Joiner said. “We’re right there. We just have to pull everything together because not everything is clicking at the same time. We’re going to keep working and hopefully peak at the right time, that’s our goal.”

Despite the loss, Joiner ended her run as a Cat at John Cropp in style, plating every run for UK.

“That is potentially the last time I will ever play on that field,” she said.

The Cats led 3-2 until three consecutive bunts by Georgia in the fifth inning loaded the bases. UK’s Kelsey Nunley continues to struggle, as she pitched five innings, allowing eight runs on nine hits with eight strikeouts. With the loss, Nunley falls to 12-13 on the season.

“The game simply got away because we didn’t defend the bunt,” head coach Rachel Lawson said. “I thought we hung in tough. We have more hits, we got more runs, that’s something we haven’t done in a while.”

UK has lost nine of the last 11 games. Joiner said the focus of the team will shift to Tennessee with the hopes of finishing the season strong.

“The post season is a whole new game,” Joiner said. “Were trying to all pull together and fight here in the end. Whatever happens, happens. All we can control is fighting so that’s what were going to do.”