Bell, Cats upset No. 4 Gators

 

 

The UK softball team upset No. 4 Florida (42-7, 19-4 SEC) 2-0 on Friday behind a strong pitching performance from senior Chanda Bell.

The Cats’ sixth win over a top-25 opponent moved them to 25-26 on the season and 11-12 in conference.

All of UK’s scoring came in the top of the third. Down to one out left in the inning, senior Brittany Cervantes sent a pitch over the left field wall for the first run of the game and her 10th homer of the season.

With the hit she became the first player to ever hit 10 or more homers during each season of her career in the blue and white.

Junior Kara Dill made her way to second after the home run by Cervantes on a throwing error by Florida.

She plated the Cats’ second run on a single to right field by senior Rachel Riley.

En route to her 13th victory of the season, Chanda Bell allowed only four hits and struck out eight batters. It was only the fourth time this season that Florida had been shutout.

“Chanda really was tremendous tonight,” UK coach Rachel Lawson said. “To hold a team like Florida scoreless and to only give up four hits was the reason we were able to win this game.”

Game two of the series is slated for a 1 p.m. EST first pitch Saturday.