HUNTINGTON, W.Va.—A five-run first inning doomed The Herd as No. 9 Kentucky downed Marshall 6-2 at Dot Hicks Field.
The Wildcats got off to a blistering start scoring five runs on five hits in the first inning. After the disastrous first, Marshall settled into a groove but never could get the offense rolling.
Marshall scored its only runs of the game in the fourth inning plating two runs on back-to-back RBI singles by Shaelynn Braxton and Raquel Escareno. The rally trimmed the Wildcat lead to 5-2 but that was as close as The Herd would get.
Kentucky tacked on an insurance run in the top of the seventh and sat down The Herd in order in the final frame.
Freshman Lindsey Fadnek took the loss for The Herd, lasting just a third of an inning and allowing four runs on three hits. Jordan Dixon turned in a solid performance in the circle in relief. She pitched 6.1 innings giving up just one run on six hits.
Marshall will host its first C-USA series this weekend when it welcomes 20th ranked Tulsa to town.