LEXINGTON, Ky. — Meagan Prince delivered six shutout innings and UK’s offense provided a five-run first inning to defeat DePaul 6-0 in the opening round of the Lexington Regional.
Prince earned her 20th win of the season as she allowed two hits and struck out four batters over six innings. The senior lefthander was perfect through the first 10 batters she faced. DePaul first baseman Dylan Christensen reached first base with one out in the 4th inning on an infield single to end any threat of a perfect game. Erin Rethlake pitched the seventh inning for the Wildcats.
"I thought in the first inning Meagan did a great job gutting out her pitches but I didn’t think she looked particularly as sharp," UK coach Rachel Lawson said. "I thought she really started to roll in the third inning. She looked tremendous and looked on time."
Prince, who found out today she would be the starting pitcher, was concerned with her warmup routine after Marshall and Illinois played a 12 inning game before UK was scheduled to play.
"When Jenny (Schaper) and I got started back again, I was like 'OK, I feel like I'm connecting now,'" Prince said. "'I feel like my hips and my arms are moving at the same pace they need to be. It took that delay and when we came back I honestly felt better."
Offensively, UK did most of its damage in the first frame. Abbey Cheek and Alex Martens singled home runs while Breanne Ray and Jenny Schaper doubled to score runs. The Wildcats finished the first inning with four runs and five hits.
"I've been happier and happier with our offense," Lawson said. "We seem to be doing a little bit better and a little bit better every weekend. I wish we would’ve continued that. I think, one, it would've made a statement. Two, the more runs we can put up the more I can go deeper into the pitching staff a little bit earlier."
Martens, a freshman, doubled home Cheek in the fifth inning to give UK a 6-0 lead. Martens led UK with two hits and two runs batted in. Schaper also drove in a pair of runs while Reed had two hits.
DePaul starter Missy Zoch settled down after the first inning, allowing just two hits and one run over the next four. Krista Dalgarn pitched a scoreless sixth inning for DePaul.
UK will play Illinois on Saturday. The Fighting Illini defeated Marshall 3-2 in a 12 inning affair prior to UK’s game against DePaul. First pitch is set for noon.
