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The Kentucky softball team split a mid-week doubleheader with the Louisville Cardinals Wednesday at the UK Softball Complex. The Cards shut out UK in the first game 4-0 before the Cats clawed back to take game two 3-2.
The Cardinals (22-9) broke open a scoreless first game in the third when Shannon Nord led the two-out Cardinal rally with a single and advanced to second on a Kentucky error. After the Cats (15-16-1) intentionally walked Audrey Rendon, Michelle Vasquez reached on UK?s second error of the inning, scoring Nord for a 1-0 lead. Courtney Moore then drove in Rendon and Vasquez with a double to right field to add to the three-run UL cushion.
The Cards added an insurance run in the seventh on a Vasquez homer. She finished the game 1-for-3 at the plate with two runs and two RBIs and was one of five Cardinals in the contest to register a base hit. Kady Garrick earned her 12th win of the season in the game after striking out four and giving up six hits in the complete game.
The nightcap was a pitching duel, as both teams managed to knock out only three hits apiece. The Cats? Amber Janneck got UK off to a good start in the first, as she accounted for one of those hits with her seventh home run of the year for the early 1-0 UK lead. Brooke Marnitz added another in the fourth, as she walked, stole second and third, and scored on a wild pitch to give UK a 2-0 advantage.
The Cards were held to a mere two hits through five innings before they came alive in the sixth. UL cut the lead to one with a bases-loaded walk to Vasquez, and tied it one play later when Moore reached on a fielder?s choice and Nord beat the throw to the plate. With the bases still loaded and only one out, the Cats got out of a jam by throwing Rendon out at home and getting Lisa Estes to ground out to end the threat. Megan Brooks scored the go-ahead run for UK in the bottom of the inning on an Emily Marks sacrifice fly to center field.
Brooke Marnitz was a perfect 3-for-3 in the two-game stint with a run, while Meghan Cooper and Amber Janneck each produced two hits on the day. Crystalie Wolfe (3-0) earned the win in relief of Gretchen Prugh in game two, going 1.2 innings while giving up only one base runner to the Cards.
The Cats now lead the all-time series with the Cards 9-4 and have taken six of the last eight from UL.
UK will return to Southeastern Conference action this weekend, as they play host to the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Live stats will be available for the doubleheader on Saturday and the series finale on Sunday. Action both days will begin at 1 p.m.