Freshman pitcher Larissa Spellman threw a gem in her first collegiate start on Sunday afternoon, as she shutout the Florida A&M Rattlers, 3-0, throwing 6.2 innings and facing the minimum through five innings as the No. 20 Kentucky softball team moved to 3-2 on the season.
The Wildcats got a home run from junior catcher Rachael Metzger in the top of the second inning and two more insurance runs in the third and sixth innings to record their second-straight win of the season and jump back above the .500 mark on the season.
Kentucky had three runs on six hits, while the Rattlers had no runs on just two hits in the game. Spellman had a perfect game through four innings – but an infield single in the bottom of the fifth ended the bid. Spellman had a career-best day in her young career, going 6.2 innings on just two hits, one walk and three strikeouts.
Senior pitcher Meagan Prince came in with two on and two out in the bottom of the seventh inning as the tying run came to the plate, but Prince picked up her first save of the season by getting a ground ball to the left side with runners on second and third. Prince finishes the weekend with a 1-1 record and a save.
Kentucky closes out the UCF Knights Invitational with a 3-2 overall record and will now turn its attention to the west coast. UK will travel to face UCLA in Los Angeles on Wednesday before competing in the Mary Nutter Classic next weekend in Palm Springs, Calif.
Key Stat
68. Freshman pitcher Larissa Spellman went 6.2 innings in the circle, throwing just 68 pitches.
Key Play
Rachael Metzger’s solo home run in the top of the second inning proved to be the difference, as she belted her first of the season over the wall in deep left field.
Key Player
Bailey Vick was a key player in the game, going 2-for-3 and scoring Kentucky’s second run of the game to give Spellman some insurance.
Run Recap
In the top of the second inning – Rachael Metzger went yard to left field for her first home run of the season. UK 1, FAMU 0
In the top of the third inning – UK scored again, as Bailey Vick led off the inning with a single up the middle. After a stolen base – Vick moved to third and was driven in on an RBI groundout to the right side by Alex Martens. UK 2, FAMU 0
The final run for UK came in the sixth inning, as Alex Martens scored for UK. Martens walked to lead off the inning and then a Jenny Schaper single put runners on first and second with no outs. Kelsee Henson then blooped a single to the shallow outfield to score pinch runner Hannah Huffman and put UK up, 3-0. FINAL – No. 20 Kentucky 3, FAMU 0
For the latest on the Kentucky softball team, follow @UKSoftball on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, as well as on the web at UKathletics.com.
‑ GO CATS –
For more information contact:
Chris Shoals
