The Kentucky softball team swept a doubleheader against Butler (0-2) today, Mar. 2, to improve to 9-3 on the year. The Wildcats earned their sixth run-rule victory of the year in the opening game with a five-inning 8-0 win in game one and followed that with a 10-5 win in the nightcap. Kentucky improves to 7-4 all-time in home openers and has now won three straight.
The Wildcats were held hitless in game one until Becky Bishop singled through the left side with two outs in the fourth inning. She went to second on a bad throw and Destinee Mordecai followed with a base on balls. The duo moved up on a wild pitch and would both come around to score on a two-run double to left field by Audrey Meyer.
UK added to its run total with five in the fifth. Brooke Marnitz and Molly Johnson blasted back-to-back homeruns to start the scoring. Katie Campbell, Alli Eckman and Bishop each walked to load the bases for Mordecai who reached on an error to plate another run and make it a 6-0 Kentucky lead. Meyer added her third RBI of the game with a single to right field to give the Cats a seven-run cushion. The winning run scored on a bases-loaded walk to Marnitz as the Cats recorded their second shutout of the season.
Jennifer Young tossed the complete-game shutout to move her record to 5-2. She struck out three and allowed just four hits in 5.0 innings of work.
Meyer finished 2-for-3 with her third double of the season and three RBI. Marnitz added two RBI with a 1-for-3 day at the dish, while Bishop went 1-for-1 with two walks, two runs scored and an RBI in the win.
The Wildcats trailed early in game after a grand slam by Jenny Jacobs in the top of the third of UK starter Megan Jolly. The junior struck out the next batter and got a flyout to right field to end the inning.
UK got a run back in the home half of the frame when Mordecai singled to lead off the inning and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Campbell.
The Cats took the lead in the bottom of the fourth, scoring four runs on five hits. Campbell led off with a double to left and went to third on a double to right by Bishop. Ashley Fertic had an RBI groundout to make it a 4-2 game, followed by Mordecai with a run-scoring single up the middle to make one-run lead for Butler. Meyer then recorded her first triple as a Wildcat to make tie the score at four. The Cats took the lead on a single through the right side by Natalie Smith.
After a scoreless fifth, the Cats put up a five-spot in the sixth. Mordecai recorded her third straight single and scored on a double to left by Meyer. Smith singled and stole second to put runners at second and third for Marnitz who singled down the left field line to drive in a pair and make it an 8-4 lead. Johnson then belted her second homer of the day to straight away center to give UK the 10-4 edge.
Butler?s Amy Hyerczyk tripled and scored on a UK throwing error with two outs in the seventh, but Young got a groundball to Smith at third to end the inning and the game for the Cats? third straight win.
Meyer was 2-for-4 with a double, a triple and two runs scored. She drove in two runs in the second game, giving her five on the day. Johnson was 2-for-4 with a homer and a double, while Mordecai went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and an RBI. Marnitz added three RBI in the nightcap, giving her a career-high 22 in just 12 games this year. Marnitz had 17 RBI for the entire season in 2006 when she played in 50 games for the Cats.
Jolly earned her first win in the Blue and White after allowing three earned runs on four hits in 4.0 innings of work. The junior transfer walked two and struck out three en route to the win. Young tossed 3.0 innings of relief, giving up one run on three hits with one strikeout.
The Wildcats return to action Saturday morning when they face these same Bulldogs at 10 a.m. in the opening game of the second annual Frostbite Classic.
