Wildcats Eliminated From NCAA Softball Tournament 9-0 In Game Three

by Glenn Logan on May 29, 2011 5:34 PM EDT in Other College Sports

California Golden Bears pitcher Joleen Henderson was shelled in the first game today by Kentucky, but in the second game she came back and shut out the Wildcats 9-0 in a dominant performance.

Much like Kentucky in the last game, the Golden Bears jumped on the Wildcats early, scoring 5 runs in the first inning and forcing starting pitcher Chanda Bell to an early exit. Rachel Riley pitched a very good game in relief, but tired at the end after pitching the first game and most of the second, and Cal added four runs to their total in the 7th inning. The Wildcats were retired in order in the bottom of the 7th, and the series ends with California winning, 2-1.

Congratulations to the Golden Bears on some really outstanding defense, and offense, in the last game. Combined with Henderson's near-perfect pitching, the Wildcats looked a bit like a team reaching the super-regional level of the NCAA tournament for the first time, obviously frustrated that they could not hit Henderson, nor make a game of it after the big Cal first inning.

Coach Rachel Lawson and Wildcats fans everywhere have to be proud of the outstanding run by this Kentucky team that ended one game short of the Women's College World Series. I can't say enough about how tough the Wildcats have been in this run, and the outstanding fan support that they received. The future of the Kentucky softball program looks incredibly bright, and with a number of talented returning starters, it wouldn't surprise me to see the Wildcats back next year in the same position.

Go, 'Cats!

Tweet Comment 8 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Casey Stengel Nailed It

Good pitching will always stop good hitting and vice-versa.

Great season for Lawson and her Cats, and a quite rewarding year for UK athletics.

"Statistics are no substitute for judgment" — Henry Clay (my namesake)

by Wild Weasel on May 29, 2011 5:58 PM EDT reply actions

especially in women's softball

I really like the game. My brother-in-law’s daughter, a 6th grader, plays on the JV team for Bowling Green HS, so I caught a number of high school games this season, and really enjoyed them. I would, though, like to see some changes, a) move the pitchers mound back 5 or 6 feet, and b) move the bases back another 10 feet or so. I think this would create more offense, and therefore more fan interest (see: soccer).

What coach Lawson has done borders on miraculous. Other than 2000, the UK softball team has been mediocre at best, but she has recuited like a mad women, and she obviously knows how to coach. I see nothing but great things in the future for UK women’s softball.

by Ken Howlett on May 29, 2011 6:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Another 5 First Rounders

Now that the spring sports season is nearly finished, 2011 NBA draft less than a month away, why not look ahead to 2012? Mock draft has 5 Cats in first round.

"Statistics are no substitute for judgment" — Henry Clay (my namesake)

by Wild Weasel on May 29, 2011 6:04 PM EDT reply actions

Congrats to the Cats

I think I may have watched a grand total of 3.2 minutes of softball in my life prior to this weekend. But I enjoyed watching the games today, despite the overall outcome.

Congratulations to the Cats and I will certainly pay more attention to their season next year.

3 > 2, except for very large values of 2.

by JLeverenz on May 29, 2011 6:24 PM EDT reply actions