April 7, 2009
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Fresh off capturing a series win over Ole Miss for the third consecutive season, the Kentucky softball team remains in Southeastern Conference action Wednesday when they host top-15 ranked Tennessee for a mid-week doubleheader. First game is set for 3 p.m. ET at the UK Softball Complex.
Kentucky (24-13, 7-8) took a game from the Lady Vols (29-8-1, 6-5-1) a season ago in Knoxville. Then a sophomore Molly Johnson blasted a two-run home run in the top of the eighth inning to upset the top-10 Volunteers 2-0, giving head coach Rachel Lawson her first SEC victory in her first try. Pitcher Amber Matousek tossed a complete game effort in that win and earned her first-ever shutout.
Johnson hit her 20th career home run this weekend against Ole Miss when she cleared the bases with her first career grand slam. The round tripper ignited UK for a seven-run fourth inning en route to winning 7-5 to capture the rubber match against the Rebels for the third straight year.
Sophomores Megan Yocke and Meagan Aull were really the sparks of the UK offense against Ole Miss. Yocke tallied a 5-for-6 weekend for a blistering .887 average. She came up with two of the biggest hits of her career when she notched a two-run double in the bottom of the seventh of game two forcing extra innings. With Kentucky trailing by a run in the bottom of the eighth, she came through again with a game-winning two-run double.
Aull had five hits on the weekend, including a pair of doubles of her own. For the season she paces the squad with 10 doubles and 19 stolen bases. Yocke, Aull and Johnson are the team’s leading hitters and all have batting averages over .320 for the season.
Matousek earned the series-clinching victory against Ole Miss Sunday. She threw a complete game effort and earned her eighth win of the season. For her career she ranks among UK’s all-time bests. She is among the top-six pitchers in Kentucky’s record books for appearances, innings pitched, games started, strikeouts and victories.
Tennessee enters the series with a national ranking of 13th in the country behind a 29-8-1 record. The Lady Vols split with LSU this weekend before tying in the deciding third game on Sunday. They are led by Tiffany Huff’s .447 average and 56 RBI at the plate. Cat Hosfield paces the pitching rotation with a 20-7 overall record and 150 strikeouts.
Other than SEC opponents Tennessee and Kentucky have faced only one similar non-conference foe. Both squads matched-up with Hawai’i prior to the SEC slate beginning. Both teams came away with a win. UK run-ruled the Lady Wahine in five innings while Tennessee edged out a 3-2 victory.
Fans can find live stats and complete coverage of the series with the Lady Vols on UKathletics.com.
Game Promotions:
Free UK luggage tags for the first 50 Kentucky fans
Fans can register to win free Chick-fil-A for a year- must be present to win
