LEXINGTON (KT) — Kentucky is going to the Super Regionals for just the seventh time in school history.

The Wildcats punched their ticket to the second round of the NCAA Tournament with an 11-1 win over Virginia Tech in six innings Sunday at Joe Cropp Field. Kentucky (36-22) will face the winner of the Seattle Regional between Mississippi State and No. 3 seed Washington.

The Wildcats have swept three consecutive regional series matchups and outscored Toldeo and Virginia Tech 26-4 during the three-day event. Kentucky belted out 13 hits against the Hokies, with junior second baseman Alex Martens paving the way with three hits and four plate appearances. Martens also drove in five runs to pace the Wildcats’ offense.

“I am a junior and we have hosted now each of the last three years and that is just an honor in itself in being a national seed and hosting and then setting and realizing your goals and going to Supers,” Martens said. “It definitely is one pitch at a time because we are mature and know what it takes. That is what really helps too is our maturing as players and as women.”

Kentucky coach Rachel Lawson said the Wildcats are starting to become known as an offensive team in addition to pitching and defense.

“One of the things that I love about this class is, prior to this class we were known solely for our defense and for our pitching,” Lawson said. “We were that scrappy team, and I still want to be that team. I want to be that team that’s scrappy and plays defense and has hard-nosed pitchers and just tough people. That’s what Kentucky – the state of Kentucky – is all about. We’re blue-collared people and that’s who we recruit and that’s who we are. But, this offensive group, what I love about them is when we built that amazing indoor (facility).”

Martens delivered a two-out double that scored two runs in the top of the third inning that gave the Wildcats a 3-0 lead. Jenny Schaper collected two hits, including a solo home run in the top of the third. Martens added to her impressive day with a three-run home run in the top of the sixth frame. Martens set the school RBI record and has 66 on the season.

“I recruited Alex because she has the ‘it’ factor,” Lawson said. “I don’t know what makes Alex tick; I just know that she ticks at a very high level. She’s somebody who — Alex gets yelled at a lot by me because she can take it and because I know she can be that great. And so for me, I’m just happy that she’s realizing her potential because she’s always had that potential.

The Wildcats broke the game open with five runs in the fifth inning. Lauren Johnson had a single that scored a pair of runs to highlight the inning.

Martens, Schaper, Katie Reed, Abbey Cheek had multi-hits in the game, with Cheek and Martens collecting three hits apiece.

“There is so much (confidence) right now especially with having Jenny (Schaper) and Katie (Reed) and me — our three seniors — and we have been through the regionals and supers for three years now and I think just being mature and having us at the top really helps the middle of the lineup and the bottom of the lineup know that if we are doing good they are going to be confident in the box if we are confident,” Cheek said. “It is just really important to have three seniors at the top of that lineup.”

Junior pitcher Autumn Humes went the distance in the pitcher’s circle. Humes allowed just one run and surrendered five hits. She struck out five batters and walked just one. Humes (15-10) led the Wildcats to a 7-2 win over Toledo in the tournament opener.

“One thing that I am really focused on especially in the last few weeks with our offense being on fire, is if the other team like today gets a big hit or a home run, I just have to forget it,” she said. “Honestly, people are like, ‘What are you thinking when people hit a home run?’ and now days I am just trying to forget it and move on to the next pitch. I think that is one thing that has been a part of my recent success is just stay in the moment and focus on each pitch one at a time.”

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LEXINGTON (KT) — The Kentucky softball team reached the regional finals of the NCAA Tournament with an 8-1 win over Virginia Tech on Saturday at Joe Cropp Stadium.

Kentucky (35-22) will take on the winner of the losers bracket game in the finale set for noon Sunday. Virginia Tech, Toledo and Illinois will battle for a spot in the championship game.

Just like the opener, Kentucky used a solid effort from the pitcher’s circle, this time Grace Baalman took the reigns and went the distance for the Wildcats. The sophomore pitcher allowed just one run on eight hits and struck out two batters. She didn’t allow a walk in her seven innings of work.

“I thought Grace did a great job on the mound,” Kentucky coach Rachel Lawson said. “When we had people on base, she did a nice job of coming up with some quality pitches and then our defense again held strong.”

Baalman made her first appearance in two weeks and turned in a solid performance.

“Grace is an artist, so you really don’t know what you’re going to get from day to day,” Lawson said. “I knew she had been feeling good, but the thing about her soreness is she really hasn’t had a hard bullpen since the last time she was out.”

Baalman settled into a routine after the Wildcats put the game away with seven runs in the fourth and fifth innings, respectively.

“You could really go out and attack hitters then,” Baalman said. “We got a big lead, so just go out and attack hitters. We’re playing for outs, so it really helps me attack the zone and not think about them hitting the long ball because the long ball is only one run.”

Kentucky’s offense collected eight hits off Carrie Eberle, the Atlantic Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year. In her seventh loss to the year, she struck out six and walked a pair of batters in going the distance for the Hokies.

Kayla Kowalik paced Kentucky’s offense with three hits and drive in one run. Jenny Schaper had a two-run single with the bases loaded in the fourth inning. The Wildcats plated four runs in the fifth inning to put the game out of reach.

Lawson and the Wildcats won’t know who they will play until late Saturday night, but Lawson said her team will be prepared.

“Our staff will watch the next couple games and then the players will get to relax,” Lawson said. “And then we’re going to come out tomorrow, give them the game plan in the morning like we always do and just take it in stride.”

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LEXINGTON (KT) — Kentucky rallied from a slow start and advanced to the winners bracket of the NCAA Tournament on Friday with a 7-2 over Toledo at Joe Cropp Stadium.

The Wildcats (34-22) will take on Virginia Tech at noon Saturday, with the winner advancing to the regional final and the loser playing an elimination game at 5 p.m. against the winner of the Toledo-Illinois contest. The Hokies defeated the Illini 6-2 in the first game of a doubleheader to open the three-day event.

Kentucky fell behind early when Toledo crossed the plate with two runs in the top of the first, but Kentucky responded with four runs in the bottom of the inning. Abbey Cheek highlighted the inning with a two-run double, while Lauren Johnson also drove in a run.

Kentucky coach Rachel Lawson said the hit by Cheek gave the Wildcats the momentum and erased a slow start in the top of the first frame.

“Those kind of things are what gives the team energy,” she said. “Everyone expects Abbey to get a hit … But when she came and she had that great slide (at third base), it was a lot of fun to watch. Those kind of momentum-building plays are what the postseason is all about.”

In the bottom of the fifth, Alex Martens connected on a home run — her 12th of the year — that pushed the Kentucky lead to 6-2. Kentucky added another run in the inning for the final margin.

Although Kentucky starter Autumn Humes allowed five hits and two runs in the first inning, Humes and Meghan Schorman surrendered just three hits the remaining six innings. Humes went five innings and scattered seven hits, She struck out three batters and didn’t issue a walk. Schorman faced nine batters in relief and issued a pair of walks.

“Toledo’s a great team and obviously they’ve accomplished a lot of things to get here,” Humes said. “They came out really aggressive and I think that me and my team made the adjustment to find our center and go out and be aggressive with them.”

Johnson paced Kentucky’s offense with three hits, while Martens and Cheek drove in two runs each. Johnson said Toledo’s two-run outburst in the first inning served as a way-up call for the Wildcats.

“We’re kind of an answer-back team, so whenever they put up two runs all of us came in dugout, we got together,” Johnson said. “We were like, ‘It’s two runs. Every game this year we have scored a lot of runs and we have faith in our teammates.”

Going into the second day of the regional, Lawson isn’t sure who will pitch in Saturday’s contest against the Atlantic Coast champion Hokies.

“I’m not really sure what I’m going to do,” she said. “I know Grace (Baalman) is available, I know Autumn’s ready, Meghan (Schorman) and I also know the other two are available. Right now, Virginia Tech is a great pitching team. They’re smart, they can hit the ball and to me I think I’m going to have to use multiple pitchers to make it through tomorrow.”