Softball begins Chattanooga Frost Classic with back-to-back shutout victories

Photo+by+Lydia+Emeric+%7C+Staff

Photo by Lydia Emeric | Staff

Jack Pilgrim

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After finishing off the Campbell/Cartier Classic last weekend with a 4-1 record, UK softball headed to Chattanooga, Tennessee looking to continue their hot streak in the Chattanooga Frost Classic. The Cats did just that on day one.

In the first game, UK sophomore pitcher Erin Rethlake accomplished yet another incredible feat for UK softball on the season by tossing a no-hitter against Lipscomb in a 4-0 victory.

Rethlake’s second start of the year was one to remember, as she struck out 14 of 22 batters for Lipscomb, no hits, no runs, and just one walk in the complete game. Rethlake’s previous career high in strikeouts was four against South Carolina in 2015.

This no-hitter comes just two games after UK pitcher Meagan Prince accomplished the same feat in a 10-0 blowout over South Dakota.

Sophomore outfielder Brooklin Hinz got things started in the top of the second inning with a homer into left field, scoring senior infielder Nikki Sagermann and freshman Abbey Cheek on the play as well.

Sagermann then extended the lead to four runs in the bottom of the fourth with a homer of her own into center field. Sagermann went two for two on the day with two runs and a walk. 

Rethlake would take care of the Lipscomb offense the rest of the way, finishing out the game and completing the no hitter.

Like game one, dominant pitching was the key factor in the second game as UK pitchers Prince and Kelsey Nunley combined for just one hit, one walk, and six strikeouts in the 8-0 shutout victory over Miami (OH).

The second inning was a eventful one for the UK batters, as they managed to rack up a whopping seven runs in the bottom of the second. Ansley Smith, Huffman, Stokes, and Rethlake all scored off of five hits and a Miami error. A Cheek homer brought home Katie Reed and Sylver Samuel to finish out the inning.

As if the second inning hitting display wasn’t enough, Reed tripled into center field in the bottom of the sixth, and then immediately scored on a Cheek fly out. This score push the lead out to eight runs, and abruptly end the game.

Reed’s hitting streak continued today, as she was able to pull off a hit in her twelfth and thirteenth consecutive games, going one for two in game one and three for four in game two with two runs and a triple. This extends her hitting streak to thirteen games, a remarkable feat for the SEC Freshman of the Week out of St. Louis, Missouri.

With the two victories today, UK now moves to 11-2 on the year. The Cats will continue in the Chattanooga Frost Classic tomorrow at 11 a.m. against East Illinois and again at 4 p.m. against event host Chattanooga.