Steed’s Homer, Nunley’s Shutout Guides UK to Winthrop Invite Title
ROCK HILL, S.C. – Senior Maisie Steed hit her first home run of the season to leftcenter field in the bottom of the fourth inning to put Kentucky up eight runs on the Winthrop Eagles and fellow senior Kelsey Nunley recorded her 16th-career shutout 8-0 on Sunday as Kentucky closed the Winthrop Invitational as the 2016 champions.
Kentucky caps off the weekend with an 18-3 overall record on the season and will play one more non-conference game against Indiana at 6 p.m. ET on Wednesday night at John Cropp Stadium before Southeastern Conference play begins next weekend in Columbia, S.C.
The Winthrop Invite is the second championship hauled in by the Wildcats this season, as UK also took the crown of the Frost Classic last weekend in Chattanooga with a perfect 5-0 record in the Volunteer State including a road win at UTC, 6-2.
South Carolina native Christian Stokes shined all weekend in her home state, adding to her quick start to the season, going 2-for-2 on Sunday afternoon with two doubles and two runs scored. On the weekend as a whole, Stokes batted .500 with six hits, seven runs scored and three home runs – as she now has a team-high four homers on the season.
Nunley added to her fantastic start to the season collecting her seventh win of the season to move to 7-1 on the season with her 16th-career shutout, and already third of the 2016 season. Nunley recorded five strikeouts in five innings of work and only threw 66 pitches whilst facing 20 batters.
Key Stat
Eight. Sunday’s 8-0 win was the eighth run-rule win for Kentucky this season. UK also run ruled New Mexico, South Dakota, Texas Tech, Miami, Eastern Illinois, Albany and twice against Winthrop this weekend.
Key Play
Center fielder Sylver Samuel kept Kelsey Nunley’s shutout in order in the top of the first inning, as she robbed the Eagles of a three-run home run going above the fence and bringing the ball back into play to end the inning with two runners stranded on first and third.
Key Player
Christian Stokes was the key player in the game, going 2-for-2 with two doubles and two runs scored in her home state.
Run Recap
After a lead-off walk by Abbey Cheek, she was sacrificed over to third on a perfect bunt and great base running by Nikki Sagermann. A Kelsey Nunley single up the middle scored the run and put UK up 1-0. UK 1, WIN 0
After a lead-off double by Stokes to begin the bottom of the third, Maisie Steed advanced to third on an E4 and put runners at second and third with no outs. Abbey Cheek then singled to score two, followed by a Brooklin Hinz double to right to score Cheek. UK 5, WIN 0
A Jenny Schaper walk and Christian Stokes double led off the bottom of the fourth for UK. Schaper was pinch ran for by Hannah Huffman and they all three scored on Maisie Steed’s first home run of the season. FINAL – No. 16 Kentucky 8, Winthrop 0
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