Published: March 22, 2008 01:00 am            

Rolf helps EKU sweep away Tennessee State

RICHMOND — Katie Rolf was batting .191 with just nine hits and three RBIs this season coming into Friday’s doubleheader with Ohio Valley Conference opponent Tennessee State at Gertrude Hood Field.

But, she delivered two key hits in the second game to help the Colonels (15-7, 5-0 OVC) rally for a 9-3 win. Eastern Kentucky University jumped out in the early game and held on for a 2-1 win.

Rolf went 0-for-3 in game one and in her first at-bat of game two, she had a 0-2 count.

The Colonels were down two in the bottom of the second with two on and one out and Rolf up. Coach Jane Worthington had seen enough and called a time.

“She didn’t look great chasing that first pitch and the second one was pretty ugly, so my thought is you’re not in it,” Worthington said of the critical moment. “I’m going to either replace you or you are going to tell me you want to be here.”

That was the motivation Rolf needed as she did say no to being taken out.

“Coach knows how to get me going, it was kind of like a wake-up call,” the outfielder said. “That just kind of strikes a nerve with you and she definitely got a fire going with that one. I was pretty heated. Luckily, I took it out on the ball instead of somebody else.”

Rolf delivered a single, followed by a RBI single from Pam Webber to trim the deficit to one, 2-1. The Lady Tigers (7-16, 1-4) added another run in the top of the fourth, but the duo of Rolf and Webber would deliver again.

In the bottom of the fourth, Amber Lenz and Erin Luther got on with one out to set up Rolf. The senior had a single with an error to score a run, while Webber followed with another RBI single to tie the game. The Colonels more than batted around as they scored seven runs on five hits to blow the game open.

“Pam and I joke about being at the bottom, but the truth of the matter is we have such a solid lineup the eight and nine spots are really no different then hitting three or four on this team,” Rolf said. “I think today we stepped it up and took our frustration out at the plate.”

Webber was 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored, while Rolf was 2-for-3 with a run scored.

Rolf has been a consistent hitter her first three years at EKU. For her career she is batting .310 and her lowest average was a .305 her freshman year.

“All season I was hitting the ball well, just right at people,” Rolf said. “I just started letting it get to me. It felt really nice to remember what it felt like to hit a ball well.”

EKU added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth when Chanze Patterson scored on a botched fielder’s choice. TSU attempted to catch Patterson at home rather than go for the force at first.

The Colonels got behind after a rocky start from Kalyn Fox. She pitched a third of an inning allowing three hits and a walk before Jenn Bledsoe took over. The junior worked out of the bases loaded jam to keep her team down just two. She pitched the next five innings allowing four hits, one run with two walks and two strike outs. Jodi Pence finished the game off allowing one hit with one strike out.

But as the innings wore on, Worthington did not feel comfortable about the deficit.

“We started off flat,” the veteran coach said. “We’ve been playing all year with some enthusiasm and having some fun and you can just tell it’s going to be a matter of time. I was actually a little worried in that second game because we weren’t playing with the same enthusiasm and intensity we’ve played with all year. But, I came over and pointed it out and they responded.”

Adriel Foxley got the first game off to a good start with a rocket line-drive home run to straight away center field in the bottom of the first inning.

It would remain a pitcher’s duel with some unlucky breaks on double plays for EKU until the bottom of the fourth.

Shyenne Hussey was hit by a pitch and Jena Handley singled to have two on with one out. Worthington went to her bench and messed with TSU’s mind by bringing in a speedier Michelle Lerner for Hussey at second base.

The Lady Tigers became so concerned with the speed that they pulled all their players in, including the outfield. Lenz hit a bloop, that had the center fielder been in her normal position probably would have caught, but drop for an RBI single and the difference in the game.

“What can I say, sometimes you make the right moves,” Worthington said. “We were fortunate that it worked out that way.”

Stacye Toups found herself in a little trouble in the top of the seventh as TSU mounted its only real threat. It had three hits, scored a run and had runners in scoring position with two outs when Toups ended the game with a strike out. The freshman allowed four hits and one run with one walk and five strikeouts.

        

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