Alabama scores five in sixth inning to push past UK
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide scored five times in the bottom of the sixth inning in a one-run game to power past the No. 11 Kentucky softball team and even the series at a game a piece on Saturday afternoon at Rhoads Stadium in front of a season-high 3,580 fans.
Kentucky scored its lone run in the top of the sixth inning as freshman slugger Abbey Cheek tallied up her team-leading 47th RBI of the season, scoring Sylver Samuel who led off the inning with the first of her two singles on the day.
The win for Alabama combined with Kentucky’s win on Friday night sets up a rubber match on Sunday afternoon. The game will be shown on the SEC Network+, ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app live with coverage starting at 2:30 p.m. ET.
Key Stat
Five. The five runs given up by Kentucky in the sixth inning to Alabama tied the most runs given up by UK in a single inning all season. UK also gave up five in the opening inning against Charlotte in a 5-1 loss to the 49ers back in pre-conference play.
Key Play
Alabama’s Chandler Dare came to the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning with two outs in a one-run game and runners on the corners and laced an RBI single up the middle to score two runners and make a 2-1 game a 4-1 game. The two RBIs were Dare’s third and fourth RBI of the day.
Key Player
Sylver Samuel was the key player for Kentucky in the game, going 2-for-4 and scoring Kentucky’s only run of the game. Samuel increased her team lead in batting average on Saturday afternoon.
Run Recap
Alabama’s Chandler Dare stepped to the plate with two on and two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning, and singled to score the opening two runs of the game. ALA 2, UK 0
Sylver Samuel got aboard with one of her two singles and then was driven in by Abbey Cheek to make it a 2-1 game in the top of the sixth.ALA 2, UK 1
Alabama scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth, including three by Leona Lafaele to make it a 7-1 game. FINAL – No. 4 Alabama 7, No. 11 Kentucky 1
For the latest on the Kentucky softball team, follow @UKSoftball on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, as well as on the web atUKathletics.com.