Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University softball team took a lead into the top of the seventh inning, but came up short against No. 12 Kentucky, 10-7, on Wednesday night at Gertrude Hood Field.
 
The Wildcats got on the board in the top of the second. With two outs, Taylor Ebbs singled to left field to get things started. Emmy Blane followed taking the 0-1 pitch over the left center field fence to give the Wildcats a 2-0 lead.
 
EKU answered back in a big way in the bottom half of the inning. Vianna Barron got things started with a single to right field and advanced to second on the throwing error. Lou Bowers followed with a double into the right center gap to score Barron and cut the Wildcats' lead in half, 2-1. After a Mattira Morales walk, Ariyana Miranda doubled into the left center gap to score Malia Babasa and tie the game at 2-2. Another walk loaded the bases for the Colonels with one out, when Jeanay Riley singled to left field to score one and give EKU its first lead of the game, 3-2. Maggie Pertee followed suit with a single to right field to score another run and give Eastern Kentucky the 4-2 advantage. Jasmine Miller brought in one more run with a sacrifice fly to left field and the Colonels had a 5-2 lead after two innings of play.
 
The Colonels added to their lead in the bottom half of the third inning. With runners on second and third and one out, Miranda singled up the middle to score Bowers and give EKU a 6-2 advantage over Kentucky. EKU added to its lead again in the bottom of the fourth on a solo home run by Jasmine Miller to give the Colonels a 7-2 advantage.
 
Kentucky started chipping away in the top of the sixth inning. With one out, the Wildcats got back-to-back singles to put runners on first and second. Taylor Ebbs delivered a blow with a three-run home run to center field to cut the Colonel lead to two, 7-5.
 
With two outs in the top of the seventh and runners on second and third, Miranda Stoddard delivered the big blow hitting a three-run home run to give Kentucky the lead, 9-7. The Wildcats added another run on a double off the wall by Blane.
 
Miranda went 2-for-3 with one double and two RBIs. Bowers went 2-for-4 with one RBI. The Colonels had 10 hits on the contest.
 
EKU hits the road this weekend for a three-game series against Bellarmine. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday, followed by a single game on Sunday.