The Kentucky softball team continues its four-game homestand this weekend when it returns to Southeastern Conference action. The Wildcats will host western division foe Ole Miss for a three-game set, Mar. 24-25, at the UK Softball Complex. The series begins with a Saturday doubleheader and wraps up with a single game on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. each day.
This weekend marks the 29th all-time meeting between the league foes. Ole Miss has won five straight in the series to take a 22-6 edge. UK?s last win over the Rebels came during UK head coach Eileen Schmidt?s first season when the Cats downed UM 5-3 on Mar. 13, 2005, in Lexington.
The Rebels have won four of their last six games and bring a 13-18 record to Lexington. Ole Miss split a doubleheader with Southeast Missouri earlier this week in a non-conference matchup, but took two out of three at Auburn to even its SEC record at 4-4.
Mary Jane Callahan is a double threat for the Rebels, leading them with a .325 batting average and 18 RBI, as well as an 8-5 record on the mound. Callahan has a team-best 1.29 ERA and has recorded 75 strikeouts in 86.2 innings of work. Lauren Grill is batting .322 and is tied for the team-lead with 18 RBI. She leads Ole Miss with nine home runs and six doubles on the year.
The Wildcats have won two of their last three games, including an 8-5 win over Marshall on Wednesday afternoon. UK is now 15-10 on the year and 2-6 in the SEC after defeating No. 18 Georgia last weekend in Athens. The 15-10 start matches the best in program history. UK started the 2002 season with an identical record.
Senior Brooke Marnitz is having the best season of her career. The Lexington native tied UK?s single-season home run record when she hit two blasts in the win over the Thundering Herd to bring her total to 12. Marnitz leads the SEC in homers (12), RBI (37), slugging percentage (1.000) and total bases (75).
Marnitz is not the only Wildcat swinging a big bat this season. Senior Katie Campbell is batting .417 with seven home runs and 22 RBI. The UK all-time home run leader is tops on the team and ranks fourth in the SEC with nine doubles this year.
Junior transfer Becky Bishop has homered six times this season and is hitting a robust .365 for the Cats. She leads the league with nine RBI and a .952 slugging percentage in SEC games this year.
?Ole Miss is a team that has really come on of late,? said UK head coach Eileen Schmidt. ?They made the SEC tournament last year and they are playing solid ball right now. Our focus is on the Wildcats and the things we do that help us play well. The focus against Marshall early was outstanding and we need to bring that same attitude to the field this weekend.?