By Tyler Spanyer | @KernelSpanyer

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As most of the UK student body heads south for spring break, the No. 15 UK softball team returns to town.

For the first time all season the Cats will be the home team on the scoreboard, after starting the year with 19 straight road games.

The Cats will host Ole Miss in a three-game weekend series to open SEC play. The Cats’ No. 15 ranking ties the highest in school history.

UK has moved up every week so far, from the pre-season, in which they were receiving very few votes, to now, where this team has garnered a lot of national attention.

One of the reasons the Cats have been successful this season is the play of freshman pitcher Kelsey Nunley.

Nunley is the first UK player to ever start a year 10-0 from the pitching circle. Nunley leads the Cats with a 2.16 ERA in her first 13 collegiate appearances.

UK is led at the plate by junior first baseman/pitcher Lauren Cumbess. Cumbess is batting .373 with 18 RBIs and two home runs.

Sophomore catcher Griffin Joiner has 16 RBIs on the season, four short of her season total from last year.

The Cats will be the first ranked opponent for the Rebels (16-9) in 2013, and both teams will be playing their first SEC contests of the campaign.

The Rebels are led at the plate by junior outfielder RT Cantillo who is off to a hot start batting .426 with 19 RBIs and three home runs.

Junior pitcher Shelby Jo Fenter has a 5-5 record on the year and leads the team with a 2.75 ERA.

Rebel freshman shortstop Haley Culley was named SEC Freshman of the Week last week and is hitting .324 in her 25 starts.

This will be the first game for UK in its new stadium. Seating construction is still ongoing, so admission to all three games will be free for the public.

First pitch Friday is scheduled for 5 p.m., with Saturday’s and Sunday’s contests both set to start at 1 p.m.