Kentucky shortstop Brooke Marnitz tied the Kentucky single-season record for home runs when she hit two in the Wildcats? 8-5 win over Marshall. The Wildcats improve to 15-10 with the win, while the Thundering Herd falls to 17-13 on the year.
Marnitz tied the record that was set during the 2004 season by former Wildcat Amber Janneck. Marnitz currently leads the team and the SEC with 12 homers this season. Her 37 RBI this season are a season-high and also lead the conference.
UK got on the board first in the bottom of the opening frame. Ashley Fertic doubled to left field and came around to score the first run of the game when Molly Johnson singled through the left side. Brooke Marnitz followed with her 11th home run of the season over the wall in center to make it a 3-0 Kentucky lead.
The Wildcats added a pair of runs in the home half of the second. Destinee Mordecai walked to lead off the inning and went to third on heads-up baserunning after a sacrifice bunt by Natalie Smith. Fertic was hit by a pitch and Johnson followed with another RBI single to make it a 4-0 score. A throwing error by the Marshall shortstop allowed Fertic to come around and plate another run to give UK a 5-0 advantage.
Marshall broke open the shutout in the fourth when Rachel Folden hit a solo homer.
Kentucky got that run back and added to its lead in the home half of the fourth. Johnson led off with a single and went to second when Marnitz drew a base on balls. Katie Campbell beat out a bunt single to load the bases for Becky Bishop who missed a grand slam by inches. The junior doubled off the wall in left to drive in two runs and put the Cats up 7-1 after four innings of play.
The Thundering Herd pulled to within two in the top of the fifth when Folden hit her second homerun of the game. This time it was a grand slam over the wall in left-center to make it a 7-5 game.
UK made it a three-run cushion when Marnitz led off the seventh with her 12th longball of the year and her second of the game.
UK reliever Jennifer Young retired the side in order in the bottom of the seventh as the Cats held on for the 8-5 win.
Megan Jolly got the win after giving up five runs on nine hits in 5.0 innings. Young tossed two innings of no-hit relief in the Wildcat win.
Johnson finished 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI, while Marnitz was 2-for-3 with three runs scored and three RBI. Bishop and Campbell each added two hits in the win and Smith extended her hitting streak to a career-best five games with a 1-for-3 day at the dish.
The Wildcats return to SEC action this weekend, Mar. 24-25, when they host Ole Miss for a three-game series at the UK Softball Complex.
