LEXINGTON, Ky. ? Fresh off a well-earned 4-2 victory over in-state rival Eastern Kentucky to wrap up non-conference play Wednesday, the Kentucky softball team will welcome Georgia to the UK Softball Complex this weekend for the final three home games of the season. UK and Georgia will play a doubleheader Saturday with a single game set for Sunday. Game time for both days is 1 p.m. ET.
UK was led by senior Ashley Dimkich?s impressive 3-for-3 performance at the dish which included an RBI and a run scored to lead the bats for the Wildcats against Eastern Kentucky. Sophomore pitcher Amber Matousek threw a complete game, giving up no earned runs on the afternoon. Matousek struck out five batters while yielding just two hits and a single walk in her 11th win of the season.
Georgia enters the game with an impressive 39-19 clip, although they are just 10-12 in conference play. The Bulldogs got a 2-1 series victory over the Cats a season ago, and lead the overall series 32-8. Georgia is led by Megan Wiggins at the plate as she paces four batters hitting over .300. The Bulldogs have used the combination of Katie Gaskill and Sarah McCloud on the mound as they both hold an ERA under 2.00.
Sophomore shortstop Molly Johnson has been a force to be reckoned with this season as the leader of the UK offense. Not only does she pace the Blue and White, but the second-year player from Arizona ranks among the nation?s best in several offensive categories. Johnson is having an incredible season from the plate, batting at a .401 clip. The slugger has brought in 37 RBI, hit 18 doubles, two triples and six bombs. Johnson is currently tallying a .683 slugging percentage while reaching base at a rate of .465. She ranks among the top-100 hitters in the nation in five offensive categories including: batting average, RBI per game, doubles per game, slugging percentage and hit by pitch per game.
Sunday the UK team will say goodbye and honor its 2008 senior class. Five women will appear at the UK Softball Complex for the final time in their careers: Samantha Allen, Lindsay Brogdon, Dimkich, Megan Jolly and Audrey Meyer.
Allen enjoyed a successful start to her career before it was cut short due to an injury. In two complete seasons she recorded 14 wins in the circle, and ranks among the top-10 leaders in school history in several pitching categories. Her best game in a Wildcat uniform was a nine-strikeout performance in a win over Belmont as a freshman. She is a two-time All-SEC academic team performer.
Brogdon is a three-year letterwinner for the Blue and White after transferring from Central Alabama Community College. She has seen action in 35 career games, making 17 starts. In her first season with the Wildcats she claimed a 3-2 clip, while earning her first career win against traditional powerhouse Long Beach State. She earned a win this season over Toledo and also saw relief action against nationally ranked Hawai?i.
Dimkich is the captain of the 2008 squad and is easily having the best season of her career. As a senior she has set career-highs in hits, runs scored, runs batted in and she has belted her first career home runs in her final campaign. She is a three-time All-Academic SEC performer, the Kentucky nominee for the McWhorter award and an inductee into the Frank G. Ham Society of Character.
Jolly transferred to UK from LSU after two seasons. The Kentucky native was off to a torrid start on the mound this season, but her career was also prematurely cut short with an injury. In a little more than a season she recorded 50 strikeouts in 29 appearances. Additionally, she is a three-time All-SEC Academic team performer in her career.
Meyer is a two-year player for the Wildcats. She is a .250 lifetime batter and has stolen 12 bases in her career. This season she had an impressive 7-for-9 series against Tennessee which included a double and a run scored. She set a career-high with three hits in the history-making win over Ohio State in early April.
Live stats and complete coverage of the UK softball team can be found at www.ukathletics.com
