UK softball extends winning streak to 12 with record HR
Kentucky senior Abbey Cheek hits a pitch during the game against Miami University (OH) on Tuesday, March 12, 2019, at John Cropp Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky. Kentucky won 9-1. Photo by Jordan Prather | Staff
March 20, 2019
Winning is becoming a habit for the UK softball team.
The no. 13 Cats are now riding a 12-game winning streak following a 9-4 victory over the Marshall Thundering Herd in Huntington. They are one victory shy of tying the longest-ever winning streak in team history.
Even more exciting for the Cats is Abbey Cheek’s name in the record books. Cheek’s home run in the top of the first inning now ties her with Cats’ assistant coach Brittany Cervantes for the most career home runs in team history with 48.
That home run seemed to fuel the Cats. After Cheek’s two-run blast into left field made it 2-0, UK scored a whopping seven runs in the third inning, the most the Cats have scored in an inning all year.
Marshall scored on a solo home run that same inning to get on the board. The Thundering Herd scored three more runs the following inning to cut their deficit to five, but it was too little too late.
Depth in the bullpen helped the Cats’ run-happy offense maintain its stronghold. The Cats used four pitchers in the game: Grace Baalman, Meghan Schorman, Tatum Spangler and Larissa Spellman. Baalman and Schorman each pitched two innings. Spangler, the closer, was credited with the win. She is now 3-0 on the season.
UK will return home to host a three-game series against conference foe Missouri Tigers. The series opens with the first match Friday at 6 p.m. SEC Network+ will have the broadcast.
