The University of Kentucky softball team will take a break from Southeastern Conference play as they host a pair of non-conference doubleheaders this week. UK will take on Ohio on Tuesday, Apr. 4, followed by a Wednesday, Apr. 5, matchup with Western Kentucky. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. each day.
Ohio is currently 17-17 on the year after defeating Ball State in their last outing. The Bobcat offense is led by Amanda Sacks who is batting .400 this season. Alicia Catlette follows at .375 with 13 RBI, while Robin Miller leads the team with 17 RBI.
The Wildcats and Bobcats will meet for the fifth time in school history and for the second time this season. Ohio visited Lexington earlier this season for the Frostbite Classic and fell to UK on March 4 by a final score of 6-3. Kentucky holds a 3-1 advantage in the all-time series with Ohio.
In that game, the Cats jumped on Ohio pitching. Senior Lori Melchi had three hits in the win, including her second home run of the season. Ashley Fertic, Megan Miller and Katie Campbell all had two hits apiece in the victory over the Bobcats.
WKU has won three straight games and is now 19-15 on the year. Bailey Rolfs has been the top run producer for the Hilltoppers, driving in 21 runs and batting .303 this season. Renikka Tolliver has scored a team-best 14 runs and leads the squad with eight stolen bases in as many attempts.
The Cats and Hilltoppers are also familiar foes after the two faced off during the fall season. The in-state rivals face off for the ninth time with WKU leading the all-time series by a 5-3 margin. The teams split a doubleheader in Lexington last season. The Hilltoppers won the first game by a final of 5-2, while the Cats took the nightcap with a 4-2 victory.
The Wildcats are 14-22 on the year and will attempt to snap a nine-game losing skid this week. Meghan Cooper leads the Cats with a. 323 batting average and is second with 21 runs scored. Campbell has a .306 average and is tops on the team with 27 RBI. Miller has started every game for UK this year and is hitting .291 with 14 runs scored and 12 RBI. Brooke Marnitz leads the team with five home runs, 22 runs scored and nine doubles.
?It?s nice to get out of conference for a while,? said head coach Eileen Schmidt. ?Unfortunately, these two opponents are tough. There is no rest. We need to pull out of this mid-season lull and get back to work.?
