Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

UK shortstop Molly Johnson will represent the United States in this summer's Japan Cup. (Photos by Mark Cornelison)

With a season to go, Molly Johnson already is among UK's top 10 in career batting average, hits, runs, homers, RBI, steals and other categories.

University of Kentucky shortstop Molly Johnson has been named to the USA Softball women’s team that will compete in the Japan Cup, July 31-Aug. 2, at Sendai, Japan.

Johnson, who as a junior this year became UK’s first softball All-American, tried out for the National Team last week at Chula Vista, Calif. Although not named to the national team, she was added to the roster for the Japan Cup.

Team USA, which returns eight players from the 2008 Olympic silver-medal team, opens play in the Canada Cup, July 4-12, at Surrey, British Columbia, as well as the World Cup, July 16-20, at Oklahoma City. Nine of the 18 National Team members will supplement the Japan Cup roster. Seven National Team members are included on the squad that will play in the Pan American Qualifier Tournament,  July 31-Aug. 9, at Maracay, Venezuela.

This season, Johnson set school records for runs (53), hits (81) and on-base percentage (.498) to help UK to its first Southeastern Conference Tournament appearance since 2001. The Wildcats notched their first-ever post-season victory, as well as their first NCAA Tournament bid.

After graduating from high school in Arizona, and once enrolled at UK Johnson and parents Don and Teri relocated to Lexington. Johnson, who says she considers Kentucky her home now, has started all 164 games since joining the program.

With a season to go, Johnson already blankets UK’s career top 10 lists: first in batting (.395) and slugging (.648); second in doubles (45), homers (22) and runs (113); fourth in total bases (320); fifth in RBI (110), stolen bases (46) and defensive assists (379); and sixth in triples (7) and hits (195).

National Team roster

Head coach: Jay Miller (Starkville, Miss.). Assistants: Gordon Eakin (Sandy, Utah); Ken Eriksen (Tampa, Fla.), Barbara Jordan (Northridge, Calif.).
Players — Monica Abbott (Salinas, Calif.); Chelsea Bramlett (Cordova, Tenn.); Katie Burkhart (San Luis Obispo, Calif.); Ashey Charters (Beaverton, Ore.); Kaitlin Cochran (Yorba Linda, Calif.); Andrea Duran (Selma, Calif.); Jennie Finch (La Mirada, Calif.); Vicky Galindo (Union City, Calif.); Alissa Haber (Newark, Calif.); Ashley Hansen (Chandler, Ariz.); Ashley Holcombe (Fayetteville, Ga.); Lauren Lappin (Anaheim, Calif.); Jenae Leles (Fair Oaks, Calif.); Caitlin Lowe (Tustin, Calif.); Stacey Nelson (Los Alamitos, Calif.); Cat Osterman (Houston); Brittany Rogers (Dacula, Ga.); Natasha Watley (Irvine, Calif.).

USA Softball’s Japan Cup team

Head coach: Miller; Assistants: Suzy Brazney (Buena Park, Calif.); Chuck D’Arcy (Sacramento, Calif.); Jordan.
Players — Valorie Arioto (Pleasanton, Calif.); Courtney Bures (Haymarket, Va.); Burkhart; Stacie Chambers (Glendale, Ariz.); Charters; Finch; Haber; Molly Johnson (Lexington); Lappin; Brittany Lastrapes (Laguna Niguel, Calif.); Leles; Nelson; Amber Patton (Forsyth, Ill.); Rogers; Taylor Schlopy (West Hills, Calif.); Watley.

Pan American Qualifier Team

Head coach: Miller. Assistants: Karen Johns (Whippany, N.J.); Mike Larabee (Dayton, Ohio); Pat Murphy (Northport, Ala.).
Players – Abbott; K’Lee Arredondo (Tempe, Ariz.); Brandice Balschmiter (Newark, N.Y.); Bramlett; Cochran; Duran; Galindo; Hansen; Holcombe; Megan Langenfeld (Bakersfield, Calif.); Lowe; Nikki Nemitz (St. Clair Shores, Mich.); Melissa Roth (Long Beach, Calif.); Katie Schroeder (Yorba Linda, Calif.); Angela Tincher (Eagle Rock, Va.); Maggie Viefhaus (Pacific, Mo.); Tammy Williams (Roscoe, Mo.).

Friday’s Southeastern Conference baseball game between Kentucky and Auburn has been postponed due to rain.

The three-game series at UK’s Cliff Hagan Stadium now will start Saturday with two games.

The game postponed Friday will start Saturday at 2 p.m. Saturday’s regularly scheduled game will be televised on the Big Blue Sports Network, starting at 7 p.m.. Sunday’s game is set for 1 p.m.

Probable pitchers in the opener are left-hander James Paxton (5-2, 5.40) of Kentucky against RH Jon Luke Jacobs (3-4, 6.23). The second game will pit another UK lefty, Chris Rusin (5-4, 4.07), against LH Grant Dayton (2-5, 5.61). Auburn will go with right-hander Dexter Price (3-2, 5.74) in the finale, with UK’s starter yet to be announced.

Kentucky-Auburn in a rain delay

It’s a beautiful day for baseball!

Just not at Cliff Hagan Stadium.

Friday’s scheduled game, Auburn at Kentucky, will not get off at the scheduled time (6:30 p.m.) as rain continues to fall. Coaches and umpires are scheduled to meet at 6:40 to decide whether to play, postpone or wait some more.

The teams also have games scheduled Saturday and Sunday, both with hopes of being among the eight teams that will qualify for the Southeastern Conference Tournament. Kentucky comes into the weekend ninth in the SEC (9-15), Auburn 10th (8-16). Vanderbilt holds the eighth spot (10-13).

UK (24-23 overall) took two of three games from Tennessee last weekend. The Wildcats finish SEC play next week — at SEC East-leading Florida.

Auburn (27-22) has lost seven in a row in league play — one to South Carolina, followed by three-game sweeps at the hands of top 10 teams LSU and Ole Miss. Auburn finishes league play at home next week, facing arch-rival Alabama.