Feb. 25, 2014

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The UK/IMG Sports Network has announced it will televise four University of Kentucky softball games in 2014, completing Kentucky’s 2014 television schedule with six televised games, it was announced on Tuesday.

The UK/IMG Sports Network will televise UK’s regular-season non-conference home game against Louisville on Wednesday, April 2 at 6 p.m. It will also televise UK’s conference showdowns with highly ranked Texas A&M on Saturday, April 5 at 6 p.m. (originally scheduled for 3 p.m.) and UK’s games vs. Arkansas on Friday, April 18 at 6 p.m. and Saturday, April 19 at 6 p.m. (originally scheduled for 3 p.m.). All times are Eastern.

All four games will be aired live in Central Kentucky on CWKYT and throughout the south on Fox Sports South. The UK-Louisville game will air on FSN South in the states of Kentucky, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina, while the UK-Texas A&M game will air on FSN South in state of Kentucky only. Both UK-Arkansas games will air on the full FSN South footprint.

ESPN and the Southeastern Conference announced its 2014 television schedule in late January with the Kentucky softball team to be featured on ESPNU and Fox Sports Network during the season.

Kentucky’s home game against Texas A&M on Sunday, April 6 will be televised by Fox Sports at 1 p.m. ET, while UK’s contest with Georgia in Athens, Ga., on Saturday, May 3 at 4 p.m. ET will be showcased on ESPNU. ESPN will also showcase every game of the 2014 SEC Tournament for the fifth consecutive season.

2014 Kentucky Softball TV Schedule

Softball Falls to No. 8 in National Rankings: For the third consecutive week the University of Kentucky softball team is ranked in the top 10 of both the ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25 and USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Top 25. Kentucky (13-2) fell to No. 8 in both listings after being ranked No. 5/6 last week. The Wildcats’ slight drop in the rankings comes after a 3-2 weekend in Boca Raton, Fla., with wins over Penn State and FAU and losses to No. 4/6 Michigan and Kent State. The rankings mark the 19th consecutive week that UK has landed inside the top 25, which continues a program record streak of consecutive weeks ranked.

Free Admission this Weekend at John Cropp Stadium: Kentucky will begin its home slate this weekend at John Cropp Stadium as it plays host to EKU, Butler and Pittsburgh for a three-day, round-robin tournament. Admission to every game will be free of charge. Fans are encouraged to stay after UK’s games on Saturday and Sunday as the entire team will be signing autographs. For season ticket information or single-game ticket information, click here.

Former Wildcat Cervantes Gets Extension from Chicago Bandits: Former University of Kentucky slugger Brittany Cervantes has signed on for another season in National Pro Fastpitch with the Chicago Bandits, it was announced recently.

Cervantes, who joined the Bandits by way of open tryouts in 2012, has been called upon to play multiple positions in both the infield and outfield, but spent the majority of the 2013 season in right field. The UK star posted career highs all across the board last season, hitting .255 with six home runs, 17 RBI and a .382 on-base percentage.

“I’m excited to be returning this summer with the Bandits and competing for an NPF Championship,” Cervantes said in a news release announcing her re-signing. “We have the best fans in the world that I love playing in front of and I’m so grateful to the Bandits organization for giving me the opportunity to continue playing the game I love.”

Cervantes was a standout offensive player at Kentucky, playing catcher and third base during her tenure. The native of Chatsworth, Calif., was named All-Southeastern Conference First Team and SEC All-Defensive Team in 2012. Cervantes, who earned three SEC weekly honors during her time at Kentucky, ranks first all-time in runs batted in and home runs, while she is also fifth in games played, tied for fourth in doubles, second in walks, third in runs scored and second in slugging percentage.

The slugger hit 13 home runs in her final season with Kentucky and 15 during her junior season, which still rank as the third- and second-most homers ever hit in a season by a UK player. Cervantes’ 52 RBI in 2011 ranks second all-time on UK’s single-season record list, while her 55 runs scored in 2011 ranks most in a single season in school history.

A two-year member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll, Cervantes graduated with a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism in May 2012.

For the latest on UK softball, follow “@UKSoftball” on Twitter and Instagram or like Kentucky Softball on Facebook.