The University of Kentucky softball team wrapped up a successful fall season with a pair of doubleheaders against Lindsey Wilson and Western Kentucky in Lexington.
The Wildcats and Blue Raiders played 14 consecutive innings on Sept. 18 at the UK Softball Complex. Starting pitcher Amy Kendall threw four innings and struck out six. The senior allowed just three hits and didn?t walk a batter. Freshman reliever Lydia Pierce tossed three innings and gave up just one hit, walked none and struck out three.
Junior Brooke Marnitz went 2-for-2 at the plate with a walk, while Miller laid down a pair of sacrifice bunts. Senior Megan Glenn went 2-for-2 with a double and a single, while junior Katie Campbell went 1-for-3 at the dish for the Cats.
In the second game, Kendall was stellar once again. She tossed three innings and gave up three hits while striking out seven Blue Raiders. Pierce followed with two innings of one-hit ball, while Eckman went 4-for-4 at the plate and finished a homer shy of the cycle. Glenn went 2-for-2, while senior Meghan Cooper, junior Ashley Fertic and freshman Elizabeth Fadde each collected a hit.
Kentucky committed just one defensive error in the twinbill against Lindsey Wilson.
Kendall made her third start in game one against Western Kentucky and continued to impress, allowing just five hits over six innings of work. Her streak without a walk extended to 13 straight innings. The Fort Wayne, Ind., native allowed just two runs and struck out three in her third outing of the fall.
Eckman went 2-for-3 with a double and a single, while Fertic added a triple for the Cats. Marnitz, Miller, and Glenn each added a hit in the win.
Pierce tossed an inning of scoreless relief as the Cats held on for a 6-2 win.
In the final game of the fall, freshman Jessica Trueblood got the start on the mound where she had a perfect game through 3.2 innings of work. She allowed just two hits and struck out three while tossing six innings for the Wildcats.
Marnitz led off the game with a homer and added two singles as she went 3-for-4, while Eckman added a double and a sacrifice fly in a 2-for-3 performance at the plate.
The Wildcats were improved in the field, committing just three errors in four games, while the pitching staff did not allow a walk during the entire four-game span.
?It was a productive off season for our team. We really seemed to settle down and look comfortable,? said second-year head coach Eileen Schmidt. ?Amy Kendall was phenomenal on the mound. She really worked hard this summer and it absolutely shows both physically and mentally. Alli Eckman brought a lot of maturity to the plate and in her approach. We also saw some bright spots from freshmen Megan Miller and Jessica Trueblood. Certainly, everyone had a good fall session. Now we just need to get into individuals and get some work accomplished.?
The Cats open the 2006 season, Feb. 10-12, at the UNLV Alexis Resort Kickoff Tournament in Las Vegas, Nev. UK?s first home game comes on Feb. 18 when they host Kent State for a doubleheader at the UK Softball Complex.
