Photo | UK Athletics
Abbey Cheek Hits Two Home Runs and Drives in Five Runs to Lead Cats in Game One
Kentucky needed two swings from Abbey Cheek to power their way to a 9-6 win vs. top seed Oregon in the NCAA Super Regionals.
Cheek, a junior from Inman, SC., hit two home runs and drove in a total of five runs to help the Wildcats take a 1-0 lead in a best of three series.
Megan Kleist got the start in the circle for Oregon and she struggled to work her way through the Kentucky lineup. The Wildcats looked comfortable in the box against the PAC 12 Pitcher of the Year. Seven of Kentucky’s nine runs came off the right-hander, six of them earned.
It didn’t take long for Kentucky to jump out to an early lead as second baseman Alex Martens hit a three-run home run in the top of the first inning. The Wildcats added a second run in the top of the second on an RBI single from Katie Reed.
It was a collective effort in the circle for Kentucky as Rachel Lawson used three pitchers to help win game one. Senior Erin Rethlake took the ball first and gave up three runs in 2.1 innings pitched. Rethlake handed the ball to freshman Grace Baalman, who pitched the Wildcats into the sixth inning. Baalman gave up two runs in 2.2 innings pitched.
After Kentucky jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, the Ducks regained momentum with three runs of their own. That all changed when Cheek stepped to the plate in the top of the fourth inning. The third baseman took Kleist deep to centerfield for a three-run home run to extend the Kentucky lead to 7-3.
Oregon tried to rally again in the bottom of the fourth with two more runs to cut the deficit to 7-5, but it was Cheek again in the top of the sixth. The junior slugger got a ball on the inner half of the plate and sent it well over the wall in left center field to give Kentucky a 9-5 advantage.
Leading 9-5 in the top of the sixth, sophomore pitcher Autumn Humes came on to close things out for Kentucky. Oregon did add a run, but Humes retired the final six batters she faced to wrap things up for Kentucky.
The Wildcats pick up a huge game one win. They will look to close things out tomorrow and advance to the Women’s College World Series.
