Folden Rallies Herd, Wildcats Prevail 8-5 Wednesday

March 21, 2007

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Conference USA Preseason Player of the Year Rachel Folden (Baldwin Park, Calif./Diamond Bar) displayed why she is one of most feared hitters in the country Wednesday. The junior catcher single-handedly carried Marshall back into the game, connecting on two home runs, but it was not enough as the Kentucky Wildcats held on for an 8-5 win.

Folden, who blasted her first career grand slam, finished the game 3-for-3 with five RBI, while regaining the conference lead in batting average (.477), home runs (9) and RBI (33).

Folden was the lone Thundering Herd hitter that recorded more than one hit. Six different batters recorded one hit for the Herd.

Kentucky's Molly Johnson went 3-for-4 with two RBI, while Brooke Marnitz also posted a two-home run game, going 2-for-3 with three RBI. Becky Bishop drove in two more runs, while going 2-for-3 at the plate.

Senior starting pitcher Abigail Harter (Monmouth, Ore./Santiam Christian) was chased out of the game early on, lasting only 1 1/3 innings before being pulled in favor of Amanda Luers (Dover, Ohio/Dover). Harter (9-7) was dealt the defeat, allowing five runs - four of which were earned - on seven hits while walking one and hitting another. Luers lasted 4 2/3 innings, giving up three runs on five hits.

Kentucky's Megan Jolly (4-4) earned the win, allowing five runs on nine hits in five innings. The pitching staff for the Wildcats (15-10) did not strike out a Marshall batter.

Marshall (17-13) finishes its six-game Spring Break road swing with a 2-4 record. The Herd will head back home for a four-game homestand. Marshall owns a 5-1 record at Dot Hicks Field.

The Herd matched its hits total from game two of Tuesday's doubleheader at Chattanooga, ripping a pair of hits in the opening inning - both with two outs on the board. Folden dribbled a single through the right side of the infield and later advanced to third on a Samantha Rodriguez (Oakley, Calif./Freedom) double down the left field line.

However, the Herd's brief two-out rally ended when Gina Guzzo (Virginia Beach, Va./Kempsville) lined out to Marnitz, ending the inning.

The home half of the first inning did not provide any breaks for the Herd either as Kentucky scored three runs on six hits to take a quick 3-0 lead.

After Harter retired the inning's first batter, she went to a 0-2 count on each of the next six batters. However, the Wildcats registered five consecutive hits, including a two-run home run by Marnitz to provide UK with the three-run lead. Marshall's southpaw finally retired a batter with three straight strikes to earn her only strikeout on the day.

Kentucky added to its lead in the second inning, taking a 5-0 advantage. Ashley Fertic scored the Wildcats' fourth run on a Marcena Bertoldo (Beaumont, Calif./Rialto) throwing error that landed in the Kentucky dugout. Johnson's second RBI single in two innings gave the Wildcats their fifth run.

In the fourth inning, Folden single-handedly ended the Herd's 12-inning scoreless streak with an opposite-field solo home run to left field. Folden's eighth home run of the season cut the UK lead to 5-1.

The Wildcats continued to swing the hot bat in the bottom of the fourth inning, adding two more runs to its cushion. Bishop delivered a towering two-RBI single to left field over the head of Rachael Sofie (Everett, Wash./Cascade) for a 7-1 UK lead.

Marshall clawed its way back into the game, recording four runs on five hits in the fifth inning, cutting the Kentucky lead to 7-5. Caitlyn Jackson (Ontario, Calif./Pomona Catholic) led off the inning with a single to left field. Two batters later, Bertoldo lined a single to centerfield, while J.J. Bitner (Virginia Beach, Va./Princess Anne) loaded the bases with an infield single. However, the bases were loaded only for a moment as Tara Holmes (Sissonville, W.Va./Sissonville) was caught off third base after rounding the bag too far and was subsequently thrown out.

Kristina Knecht (Concord, Calif./Daytona Beach CC) reloaded the bases with a single through the left side. Folden then promptly cleared the bases with one swing of the bat Folden launched a grand slam to left-center field to bring the Herd to within two runs, 7-5.

Marnitz provided the Wildcats with a much-needed insurance run in the sixth inning with a solo home run to left field. Her second home run of the game gave Kentucky an 8-5 advantage.

The Marshall Thundering Herd returns home for a brief four-game homestand beginning this weekend with a pivotal three-game Conference USA against East Carolina. Saturday's doubleheader will begin at 1 p.m., followed by a single game Sunday also at 1 p.m. Fans can listen to all of the weekend's Herd softball action on WMUL-FM 88.1, approximately 20 minutes prior to first pitch. CSTV GameTracker will also be available via www.HerdZone.com.

Kentucky 8, Marshall 5 (03/21/07 at Lexington, Ky.)----------------------------------------------------------------------Marshall............ 000 140 0 -  5  9  1      (17-13)Kentucky............ 320 201 X -  8 12  0      (15-10)----------------------------------------------------------------------Pitchers: Marshall - Harter, Abigail; LUERS, Amanda(2). Kentucky - JOLLY, Megan;YOUNG, Jennifer(6).Win-JOLLY, Megan(4-4)  Loss-HARTER, Abigail(9-7)  T-1:47  A-158HR MARSHALL - Folden, Rachel 2 (9).HR UK - MARNITZ, Brooke 2.JOLLY faced 1 batter in the 6th.

Folden Rallies Herd, Wildcats Prevail 8-5 Wednesday

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Players Mentioned

Marcena Bertoldo

Rachel Folden

Gina Guzzo

Abigail Harter

Tara Holmes

Caitlyn Jackson

Kristina Knecht

Amanda Luers

Samantha Rodriguez

Rachael Sofie

Marshall University Athletics

Folden Rallies Herd, Wildcats Prevail 8-5 Wednesday

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Next Event

Players Mentioned

Marcena Bertoldo

Rachel Folden

Gina Guzzo

Abigail Harter

Tara Holmes

Caitlyn Jackson

Kristina Knecht

Amanda Luers

Samantha Rodriguez

Rachael Sofie

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