UK scores 2 in 10th, edges Auburn 6-5

May 9, 2009

 

Braden Kapteyn

Braden Kapteyn

UK’s Andy Burns opens the bottom of the 10th with a full-count walk. Chris Bisson takes a 2-2 pitch to the opposite field, singling through the left side of the infield to put Burns on second. With Auburn expecting a bunt, Gunner Glad instead pokes a run-scoring single on nearly the same path that Bisson just used. Burns scores and Bisson stops at second. Chris Wade bunts the runners to second and third. With one out, Keenan Wiley draws an intentional walk to fill the bases for Braden Kapteyn. Kapteyn takes two balls, then lines a game-winning RBI single down the third-base line. FINAL SCORE: KENTUCKY 6, AUBURN 5.

Auburn grabs 5-4 lead over Kentucky in top of 10th
Justin Hargett

Justin Hargett

Auburn’s Justin Hargett opens the 10th inning with a bunt single. Trent Mummey, looking to bunt, is nailed in the right leg by a Braden Kapteyn pitch. Brian Fletcher bunts the runners to second and third. Ben Jones’ sacrifice fly sends Chad Wright to the left-field wall. Hargett scores and Mummey advances to third. There’s where it ends, though, as third baseman Andy Burns successfully pulls off the ol’ hidden ball trick and tags out Mummey. Going to the bottom of the 10th: Auburn 5, Kentucky 4.

Kentucky, Auburn tied 4-4 through 9 innings

In the bottom of the ninth, Marcus Nidiffer is called out on strikes. Bryan Rose just misses a homer, backing Trent Mummey to the center-field wall for the second out. Chad Wright grounds out. Heading to extra innings: Kentucky 4, Auburn 4.

Auburn ties Kentucky at 4 with ninth-inning run
Brian Fletcher

Brian Fletcher

In the top of the ninth, Auburn’s Brian Fletcher works a full-count walk. Kentucky Coach Gary Henderson pulls starter James Paxton and brings in lefty Logan Darnell to pitch. Darnell strikes out Ben Jones, but hits Tony Caldwell to put runners on first and second. Casey McElroy goes the other way to drive a single through the left side of the infield, loading the bases. Henderson summons his DH, right-hander Braden Kapteyn, to take over on the mound. Wes Gilmer, who banged a two-run double his previous at-bat, grounds to first baseman Gunner Glad who, inexplicably, opts to take a few steps and touch the bag before throwing home — too late to catch Fletcher. So now the game is tied, runners on second and third, with two outs. Chez McCann, who entered the game in the seventh as a defensive replacement, walks to load the bases. Kapteyn gets ahead of Kevin Patterson 0-2, then gets saved from a run-scoring wild pitch as catcher Marcus Nidiffer jumps up to spear a very, very outside pitch. Next pitch is a called third strike. Going to the bottom the ninth, and with Auburn calling in right-hander Austin Hubbard from the bullpen: Kentucky 4, Auburn 4.

Kentucky tries to protect 4-3 lead in 9th

Kentucky gets a one-out double from Chris Wade but nothing else in the eighth. Going to the ninth inning: Kentucky 4, Auburn 3.

Auburn goes down quietly in 8th inning

UK lefty James Paxton regains his composure to set Auburn down in order in the eighth, striking out two. In the middle of the eighth: Kentucky 4, Auburn 3.

Fluke play gives UK 4-3 lead in 7th
Marcus Nidiffer

Marcus Nidiffer

Andy Burns

Andy Burns

Kentucky takes a 4-3 lead on a weird play. Marcus Nidiffer leads off with a single to left. One out later, Chad Wright walks. Andy Burns takes a 2-2 pitch for a ball, then mistakingly trots towards first base — thinking the pitch was ball four. Nidiffer gets hung up between second and third, with catcher Tony Caldwell firing the ball towards third, but into left field for an error. Nidiffer scores and Wright moves to third. Next pitch, Burns does walk. But he’s doubled off first when Chris Bisson lines out to pitcher Bradley Hendrix. At the end of seven: Kentucky 4, Auburn 3.

Auburn comes back in 7th to tie Kentucky 3-3

Auburn comes battling back in the seventh. Justin Hargett leads off with an infield single. Trent Mummey looks at a called third strike, the eighth whiff of the game by James Paxton, and Brian Fletcher is out on a pop foul. Ben Jones doubles to the gap in left-center, moving Hargett to third. Tony Caldwell draws the first Auburn walk of the day to load the bases. Casey McElroy draws a full-count walk to force in a run. Wes Gilmer drives a two-run, game-tying double off the wall in right-center. Pinch-hitter Bradley Ray takes a called third strike. Seventh-inning stretch time: Kentucky 3, Auburn 3.

UK breaks through in sixth, takes 3-0 lead on Auburn

Bryan Rose leads off the bottom of the sixth with a sharp single to right — just the third hit of the game and the second for Kentucky. Chad Wright executes the

Bryan Rose

Bryan Rose

Keenan Wiley

Keenan Wiley

sacrifice bunt to push Rose to second. Andy Burns jumps on a 3-1 pitch, lining a run-scoring double down the left-field line. One out later, Gunner Glad draws a walk. After waving at a pair of breaking balls, Chris Wade reaches out to slap a 1-2 pitch through the left side of the infield for a run-scoring single. Glad stops at second. Auburn Coach John Pawlowski calls to the bullpen for Bradley Hendrix. Keenan Wiley welcomes the right-hander with a single to left-center to score Glad and move Wade to third. Hendrix retires Braden Kapteyn on a comebacker. After six innings: Kentucky 3, Auburn 0.

Paxton continues mastery; UK-Auburn scoreless

Kentucky’s James Paxton retires his ninth, 10th and 11th batters in a row, getting a fly ball and striking out two. Through the top of the sixth, Paxton has yielded one hit and hit a batter, struck out seven and faced the minimum 18 batters. In the middle of the sixth inning: Kentucky 0, Auburn 0.

Pitching duel continues as Cats get nothing in 5th
Jon Luke Jacobs

Jon Luke Jacobs

Auburn freshman Jon Luke Jacobs continues to have Kentucky’s number. He retires Keenan Wiley on a pop foul, Braden Kapteyn on a grounder and Marcus Nidiffer on a pop to short center. At the end of five innings: Kentucky 0, Auburn 0.

Auburn retired in order in fifth; no score

Auburn goes down in order in the fifth inning. Ben Jones grounds out, Tony Caldwell is strikeout victim No. 5 for James Paxton and Casey McElroy taps out to catcher Marcus Nidiffer. In the middle of the fifth: Kentucky 0, Auburn 0.

Kentucky gets first hit, then a double play
Gunner Glad

Gunner Glad

Kentucky gets its first hit of the game as Gunner Glad lines a one-out single down the third-base line. But Auburn right-hander Jon Luke Jacobs gets Chris Wade to ground into a 4-6-3 double play. At the end of four innings: UK 0 runs, 1 hit; Auburn 0 runs, 1 hit.

Wright survives collision with wall; Auburn down 1-2-3

UK lefty James Paxton again sets Auburn down in order, but Kentucky gets a scare. Trent Mummey’s one-out fly sends left fielder Chad Wright deep. Wright makes the catch but is shaken up as he crashes into the wall. He stays in the game, though, and Paxton fans Brian Fletcher to end the inning. In the middle of the fourth: no score.

Auburn frosh Jacobs completes third no-hit inning

Auburn freshman Jon Luke Jacobs sets down Kentucky 1-2-3 in the third. Through three innings: Kentucky 0 runs, 0 hits; Auburn 0 runs, 1 hit.

Paxton puts away Auburn in third; still no score
Auburn’s Wes Gilmer is hit by a pitch to open the third inning. However, he is promptly caught trying to steal as catcher Marcus Nidiffer pegs a strike to shortstop Chris Wade. UK’s James Paxton retires the next two with a groundball and a fly ball. In the middle of the third: Kentucky 0, Auburn 0.
Kentucky, Auburn scoreless through two innings

Kentucky goes down in order in the second. Auburn left-fielder Brian Fletcher robs Marcus Nidiffer of a two-out hit, making a diving catch of Nidiffer’s blooper to left-center. At the end of two innings: Kentucky 0, Auburn 0.

Paxton strikes out the side, in order, in 2nd

UK lefty James Paxton retires Auburn in conventional fashion in the second, striking out the side: Ben Jones, Tony Caldwell and Casey McElroy. Going to the bottom of the second: nil-nil.

Wildcats strand a pair of runners in first

Kentucky threatens in the first, thanks to a leadoff walk to Chad Wright and a two-out pass to Gunner Glad. But Auburn freshman Jon Luke Jacobs strikes out Andy Burns, Chris Bisson and Chris Wade, the last two caught looking. At the end of one: 0-0.

Double play ends Auburn’s half of first inning

UK lefty James Paxton, aided by a double play, cuffs Auburn in the top of the first. Trent Mummey bloops a one-out single just over the reach of 2B Chris Bisson. But Brian Fletcher lines out to Bisson, who tosses to Gunner Glad to easily double off Mummey at first. Going to the bottom of the first: no score.

SEC baseball: Auburn at Kentucky, game one

Saturday is looking much better than Friday for baseball at Cliff Hagan Stadium.

Kentucky and Auburn are set to make up Friday’s postponement, with first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. Right now, it’s 71 degrees, cloudy, with a rain-clear radar in Central Kentucky. Saturday’s regularly scheduled game, to be televised by the Big Blue Network, is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Both UK and Auburn have hopes of qualifying for the eight-team Southeastern Conference Tournament.

UK (24-23 overall, 9-15 SEC) ranks ninth, Auburn (27-22, 8-16) 10th. No. 8 Vanderbilt (11-13) opened a two-game lead on UK by defeating Georgia on Friday.

Starting lineups for Saturday’s first game

AuburnJustin Hargett, 2B; Trent Mummey, CF; Brian Fletcher, LF; Ben Jones, RF; Tony Caldwell, C; Casey McElroy, SS; Wes Gilmer, 3B; Dan Gamache, 1B; Kevin Patterson, DH. Pitching — RH Jon Luke Jacobs (3-4, 6.23).

KentuckyChad Wright, LF; Andy Burns, 3B; Chris Bisson, 2B; Gunner Glad, 1B; Chris Wade, SS; Keenan Wiley, CF; Braden Kapteyn, DH; Marcus Nidiffer, C; Bryan Rose, RF. Pitching — LH James Paxton (5-2, 5.40).

UmpiresNelson Graham, plate; A.J. Lostaglio, 1B; Kevin Assman, 3B.

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SEC baseball final: Tennessee 8, Kentucky 2

May 2, 2009

Tennessee lefty Bryan Morgado seals things in the ninth by getting Chris McClendon to ground out for the first out. Braden Kapteyn reaches on a bloop single, but Troy Frazier lines out to third and Chad Wright strikes out. FINAL SCORE: Tennessee 8, Kentucky 2.

Cats face 8-2 deficit in bottom of the ninth

Tennessee gets a double from P.J. Polk to open the ninth. One out later, pinch-runner Jarred Frazier steals third. Frazier scores on Blake Forsythe’s single off the old scoreboard in right field. Two more strikeouts in the inning are a Vols season-high 17 for the game. Going to the bottom of the ninth: Tennessee 8, Kentucky 2.

Vols take 7-2 lead over UK into 9th
With one out in the eighth, Gunner Glad doubles down the left-field line and takes third when P.J. Polk kicks the ball for an error. A strikeout and groundout leave Glad stranded. Going to the ninth, Kentucky brings in Logan Darnell to pitch. The score: Tennessee 7, Kentucky 2.
Vols break through with 4 in 8th, lead Cats 7-2

Tennessee restores its two-run cushion in the eighth. Chris Rusin matches the UK season high of 14 strikeouts by

Cody Brown

Cody Brown

getting leadoff batter P.J. Polk. (James Paxton struck out 14 at LSU.) Kentrail Davis reaches on a high-hop infield single, then steals second. Blake Forsythe singles to center. Davis, planning to stop at third, continues home when center fielder Keenan Wiley bobbles the ball for an error. Cody Hawn singles, Forsythe stopping at second. That knocks out Rusin, who finishes with 14 strikeouts and having thrown 75 of 124 pitches for strikes. Braden Kapteyn, the DH, replaces Rusin. First pitch, Cody Brown greets Kapteyn with a three-run homer to right-center. Tyler Horne singles through the left side and Cody Grisham bunts for Tennessee’s sixth consecutive hit. A wild pitch puts the runners on second and third. Matt Ramsey strikes out for the fourth time in as many at-bats and Zach Osborne pops up to the pitcher. In the middle of the eighth: Tennessee 7, Kentucky 2.

Cats strike back in seventh to cut deficit to 1

UK’s half of the seventh begins with Marcus Nidiffer getting hit by a Bryan Morgado pitch. Keenan Wiley works an eight-pitch walk. Chris McClendon bunts the runners to second and third. On a full count, Braden Kapteyn draws a walk on a wild pitch that allows Nidiffer to score and Wiley to take third. UK Coach Gary Henderson sends Troy Frazier in to bat for Bryan Rose. Frazier also works the count full before taking a called third strike. Kapteyn steals second base without a play. Chad Wright, on yet another full count, walks to load the bases. Andy Burns lines an 0-1 pitch deep to right field, but right at Matt Ramsey, for the final out. Frazier remains in the game for UK, playing right field. At the end of seven innings: Tennessee 3, Kentucky 2.

Rusin gets 13th strikeout, but Vols pad lead to 3-1
Tyler Horne

Tyler Horne

Tennessee’s second hit of the game look much like the first one — a home run. Tyler Horne leads off the seventh inning with a line drive off the scoreboard in left-center. Chris Rusin retires the next three in order, including his career-high 13th strikeout of the game. That moves Rusin into third place on UK’s career strikeout list with 260, one more than Brandon Webb compiled from 1998 through 2000. Seventh-inning stretch time: Tennessee 3, Kentucky 1.

Tennessee leads Kentucky 2-1 through 6th

Kentucky gets a one-out walk to Chris Bisson, but he gets picked off by pitcher Bryan Morgado. Going to the seventh inning: Tennessee 2, Kentucky 1.

Vols’ Davis breaks up no-hitter with 2-run homer
Kentrail Davis

Kentrail Davis

Tennessee’s Kentrail Davis ends Chris Rusin’s no-hit, shutout bid, as well as Kentucky’s lead with one mighty swing. Zach Osborne leads off the sixth with a walk, taking second on P.J. Polk’s sacrifice bunt. Davis then takes an 0-1 pitch deep into the parking lot beyond the right-field wall for a two-run homer. Blake Forsythe becomes Rusin’s 11th strikeout victim, but the UK lefty issues his season-high fifth walk of the game, this one to Cody Hawn. Rusin fans Cody Brown. In the middle of the sixth inning: Tennessee 2, Kentucky 1.

Cats head to 6th clinging to 1-0 lead over Vols

Kentucky’s fifth inning starts with an infield single — a hot shot off the throwing hand of pitcher Ty’Relle Harris — by Chris McClendon. Braden Kapteyn bunts McClendon to second base. Harris retires Bryan Rose on a fly ball. Then, apparently because of the ball he took off his hand, Harris exits and left-hander Bryan Morgado takes over. A passed ball allows McClendon to take third base. Chad Wright, on a full-count pitch, goes down swinging. Through five innings: Kentucky 1, Tennessee 0.

Rusin strikes out the side again in fifth

In the fifth, UK left-hander Chris Rusin strikes out the side for the second inning in a row. Rusin has 10 strikeouts overall, his latest victims being Tyler Horne, Cody Grisham and Matt Ramsey. Horne went down swinging, the other two taking called third strikes. In the middle of the fifth: Kentucky 1, Tennessee 0.

Double play ends Cats’ chances in fourth
Marcus Nidiffer

Marcus Nidiffer

Kentucky gets a one-out single from Marcus Nidiffer, his second hit of the game. But Keenan Wiley grounds into a 4-6-3 double play. At the end of four innings: Kentucky 1, Tennessee 0.

Rusin strikes out the side in fourth; Cats lead 1-0

Tennessee’s Kentrail Davis opens the fourth by drawing a walk. But UK lefty Chris Rusin strikes out Blake Forsythe, Cody Hawn and Cody Brown. Through 3 1/2 innings, Rusin has seven strikeouts, with the score: Kentucky 1, Tennessee 0.

Kentucky leads Tennessee 1-0 through 3rd

Kentucky’s Andy Burns pokes a two-out single through the right side of the infield. But Chris Bisson bounces into a fielder’s choice. At the end of three innings: Kentucky 1, Tennessee 0.

Rusin sets Vols down in order in third

UK lefty Chris Rusin retires Tennessee in order for a second consecutive inning. getting a pair of groundouts and his fourth strikeout of the game. In the middle of the third: Kentucky 1, Tennessee 0.

McClendon double gives Cats 1-0 lead in 2nd
Chris McClendon

Chris McClendon

In the Kentucky second, Marcus Nidiffer fists a one-out bloop single down the left-field line, just over the reach of third baseman Cody Brown. One out later, Chris McClendon rips a run-scoring double towards the scoreboard in left-center. Nidiffer just beats the throw to the plate, with McClendon taking third on the throw. Braden Kapteyn lines out to left. After two innings: Kentucky 1, Tennessee 0.

Vols go down in order in 2nd
Chris Rusin

Chris Rusin

Tennessee goes down in order in the second as Chris Rusin picks up his third strikeout and gets a pair of fly balls. In the middle of the second: Kentucky 0, Tennessee 0.

Cats, Vols scoreless through first

Kentucky gets a bad-hop infield single from Chad Wright to open the bottom of the first. But Andy Burns lines to left and Chris Bisson grounds into a 4-6-3 double play. Through one inning: Kentucky 0, Tennessee 0.

Tennessee threatens in first

UK lefty Chris Rusin retires the first two batters of the game, but then gives up his first first-inning walk of the season — to Kentrail Davis. Wild pitches advance Davis to second, then third, before Blake Forsythe walks. Forsythe steals second without a play. But Rusin strikes out Cody Hawn on a full-count pitch. After half an inning: Tennessee 0, Kentucky 0.

SEC baseball: Tennessee at Kentucky, game 2

Getting set for the second game of a three-game Southeastern Conference baseball series at Cliff Hagan Stadium in Lexington, Ky.

Kentucky scored six runs in the sixth inning, rallying from a 3-0 deficit, en route to a 6-4 victory over Tennessee in Friday’s opener.

The teams enter play Saturday ninth (UK, 9-13) and 11th (UT, 6-16) in the SEC. Only the top eight will qualify for the SEC Tournament, May 20-24, at Hoover, Ala. South Carolina (10-12) is in the eighth spot, a game ahead of Kentucky.

The lineups:

Tennessee Zach Osborne, ss; P.J. Polk, lf; Kentrail Davis, cf; Blake Forsythe, c; Cody Hawn, 1b; Cody Brown, 3b; Tyler Horne, dh; Cody Grisham, 2b; Matt Ramsey, rf. Pitching — RH Ty’Relle Harris (4-4, 6.57).

KentuckyChad Wright, lf; Andy Burns, ss; Chris Bisson, 2b; Gunner Glad, 1b; Marcus Nidiffer, c; Keenan Wiley, cf; Chris McClendon, 3b; Braden Kapteyn, dh; Bryan Rose, rf. Pitching — LH Chris Rusin (5-3, 3.73).

UmpiresJohn Whitaker, plate; Owen Butts, 1b; Tony Maners, 3b.

Weather – 56 degrees, overcast, calm wind.

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SEC baseball: Cats win series opener over Vols, 6-4

May 1, 2009

UK calls on DH Braden Kapteyn to close things out in the ninth. He gets pinch-hitter Jeff Lockwood to fly to left and Zach Osborne to take a called third strike. Kentrail Davis draws a walk, bringing the potential tying run to the plate. A wild pitch moves Davis to second base. But Kapteyn runs down a short pop foul off the bat of Blake Forsythe to end the game. FINAL SCORE: Kentucky 6, Tennessee 4.

Cats take 6-4 lead into ninth

Tennessee goes to the bullpen again to open the bottom of the eighth. Left-hander Will Locante comes in, with righty Matt Ramsey moving to right field in place of Jarred Frazier. Locante beans Bryan Rose with a 3-2 pitch, strikes out Chad Wright, walks Andy Burns and fans Chris Bisson. The Vols go to their bullpen again, calling in right-hander Stephen McCray. He strikes out Gunner Glad. Heading to the ninth inning: Kentucky 6, Tennessee 4.

Paxton strikes out side in 8th

UK lefty James Paxton strikes out the side, in order, in the eighth. Going to the bottom of the inning: Kentucky 6, Tennessee 4.

Cats leave ‘em loaded in 7th

In the seventh inning, a leadoff single by Kentucky’s Chris Bisson and a walk by Gunner Glad brings an end to Nick Hernandez’s night on the mound for Tennessee. Coach Todd Raleigh calls for right-hander Ryne Simpson. Marcus Nidiffer bunts the runners to second and third, and Raleigh replaces Simpson with lefty Adam Adkins. Keenan Wiley walks on four pitches, loading the bases. Adkins exits and right-hander Matt Ramsey enters the game for Tennessee. Ramsey fans Braden Kapteyn and gets Chris McClendon on a comebacker. At the end of seven innings: Kentucky 6, Tennessee 4.

Vols score 1 in 7th; Cats lead 6-4

A one-out single by Kentrail Davis ignites a Tennessee rally in the seventh inning. Blake Forsythe walks and both runners advance on a James Paxton wild pitch. Davis scores on Cody Haven’s sacrifice fly to center, Forsythe taking third. P.J. Polk grounds out on a tough play by third baseman Chris McClendon. Seventh-inning stretch time: Kentucky 6, Tennessee 4.

Cats roar back with six-run sixth
Chad Wright

Chad Wright

For a second inning in a row, Kentucky opens with back-to-back singles, this time by Andy Burns and Chris Bisson, to put runners on the corners. Gunner Glad’s fly to center is too shallow to score Burns. A wild pitch moves Bisson to second base before Marcus Nidiffer draws a walk to load the bases. Keenan Wiley, who singled to open the previous inning, fouls off a couple of 3-2 pitches before lining a two-run single down the third-base line. Nidiffer holds at second. Braden Kapteyn brings Nidiffer home with the tying run and moves Wiley to third with a double to left. Vols lefty Nick Hernandez spears Chris McClendon’s bullet-comebacker to notch the second out, but Bryan Rose walks to load the bases. Chad Wright, 0-for-3 to this point, clears the bases with a double down the line that glances off the glove of left-fielder P.J. Polk. Wright goes to third on a wild pitch. Burns flies to deep left. At the end of six innings: Kentucky 6, Tennessee 3.

Cats trail 3-0 in middle of 6th

Tennessee gets a two-out single from Cody Grisham, but nothing else in the sixth inning. Going to the bottom of the inning: Tennessee 3, Kentucky 0.

Cats threaten but don’t score in fifth

Kentucky mounts its strongest threat in the fifth, starting with back-to-back singles by Keenan Wiley and Braden Kapteyn. Chris McClendon’s bunt moves runners to second and third with one out. But Vols left Nick Hernandez retires Bryan Rose on a pop foul and gets Chad Wright on a groundout to second. Going to the sixth inning: Tennessee 3, Kentucky 0.

Vols go down in order in fifth

A correction on the fourth-inning scoring for Tennessee (see revised information below).

In the top of the fifth, Tennessee goes down in order. In the middle of the fifth: Tennessee 3, Kentucky 0.

Vols lead Cats 3-0 through 4th

Tennessee left-hander Nick Hernandez sets Kentucky down in order in the fourth. Going to the fifth: Tennessee 3, Kentucky 0.

Vols push lead to 3-0 in fourth
Zach Osborne

Zach Osborne

UK lefty James Paxton strikes out the first two batters in the fourth inning, but the second of those – Tyler Horne — reaches first on a wild pitch. Cody Grisham’s single to left advances Horne to third and Grisham takes second on the throw to third. Paxton comes back to strike out Jarred Frazier. But Zach Osborne, a freshman out of Pleasure Ridge Park, singles up the middle drives in both runners. In the middle of the fourth: Tennessee 3, Kentucky 0.

Vols lead Cats 1-0 through third

Kentucky’s No. 9 hitter, Bryan Rose, is hit by a pitch to start the third inning. But Chad Wright grounds into a 4-6-3 doubld play and Andy Burns lines out to center. Going to the fourth inning: Tennessee 1, Kentucky 0.

Tennessee strands two in 3rd inning

In the top of the third inning, Tennessee’s Blake Forsythe reaches first on a two-out fielding error by shortstop Andy Burns. Cody Hawn draws a walk, but James Paxton catches P.J. Polk looking at a third strike. In the middle of the third: Tennessee 1, Kentucky 0.

Cats waste Nidiffer’s second-inning single

Kentucky gets a leadoff single from Marcus Nidiffer but can’t move him past second base. After two complete innings: Tennessee 1, Kentucky 0.

Tennessee down in order in 2nd inning
James Paxton

James Paxton

Kentucky left-hander James Paxton retires the Tennessee Volunteers in order in the second inning. Going to the bottom of the second: Tennessee 1, Kentucky 0.

Tennessee leads Kentucky 1-0 through 1st

Kentucky threatens in the bottom of the first but gets nothing. Andy Burns laces a one-out single to left. As Chris Bisson strikes out, Burns steals second. Gunner Glad hits a ball hard, but right at third baseman Cody Brown, who tags Burns for the third out. After one inning: Tennessee 1, Kentucky 0.

Tennessee gets a run in first
Blake Forsythe

Blake Forsythe

Tennessee strikes in the top of the first, doing all its damage after the first two batters are retired. Blake Forsythe singles through the right side of the infield, then goes to second as Cody Hawn reaches on a third-strike wild pitch. P.J. Polk’s single to right scores Forsythe, Hawn stopping at second. After half an inning: Tennessee 1, Kentucky 0.

Late lineup change puts Wade on bench

A late lineup change for Kentucky. SS Chris Wade will not start due to a sore hamstring. Andy Burns, originally set to DH, moves to short. Braden Kapteyn goes in as DH. The revised lineup is listed below.

SEC baseball: Tennessee at Kentucky

Getting ready for Friday’s opener of a three-game Southeastern Conference baseball series at Cliff Hagan Stadium, with Kentucky (22-22 overall, 8-13) playing host to Tennessee (20-25, 6-15).

UK comes in 10th overall in the SEC, Tennessee 11th. Only the top eight teams will qualify for the SEC Tournament, May 20-24, at Hoover, Ala.

The top eight entering weekend play, in order: LSU, Georgia, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Florida, Alabama, Vanderbilt and South Carolina. Auburn is No. 9.

The weather 30 minutes before the scheduled game time is 72 degrees, overcast, an 18 mph wind blowing from right field to left, with gusts to 25 mph.

The lineups:

TennesseeZach Osborne, ss; Kentrail Davis, cf; Blake Forsythe, c; Cody Hawn, 1b; P.J. Polk, lf; Cody Brown, 3b; Tyler Horne, dh; Cody Grisham, 2b; Jarred Frazier, rf. Pitching: LH Nick Hernandez (2-4, 5.26).

KentuckyChad Wright, lf; Andy Burns, ss; Chris Bisson, 2b; Gunner Glad, 1b; Marcus Nidiffer, c; Keenan Wiley, cf; Braden Kapteyn, dh; Chris McClendon, 3b; Bryan Rose, rf. Pitching: LH James Paxton (4-2, 5.53).

UmpiresTony Maners, home; John Whitaker, 1b; Owen Butts, 3b.

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Louisville closes out 11-2 win over Kentucky

April 28, 2009

Louisville goes to right-hander Matt Lea to pitch the ninth. He gets pinch-hitter Navarro Hall looking at a third strike. Keenan Wiley reaches on a fielding error by first baseman Andrew Clark. Pinch-hitter Brian Suerdick lines to shortstop, with Wiley doubled off at first. Final score: Louisville 11, Kentucky 2.

Cats trail U of L 11-2 with last chance at hand

Jonathan Huff replaces Braden Kapteyn on the mound to open the ninth inning. Huff retires pinch-hitters Tony Zych and Tim Hayes, but John Dao doubles to left-center. He’s stranded when Drew Haynes grounds out. Heading to the bottom of the ninth: Louisville 11, Kentucky 2.

Louisville takes 11-2 lead into ninth

Kentucky gets a leadoff single from Andy Burns, but U of L turns a double play for the third time in the game — a 6-4-3, retires Chris Bisson on the back end. Through eight innings: Louisville 11, Kentucky 2.

3-run homer boosts Cards to 11-2 lead over UK

UK reliever Braden Kapteyn finds trouble in the eighth. After retiring the first two batters, Kapteyn walks Adam Duvall and Andrew Clark. Chris Dominguez clears the bases, lining a 1-1 pitch over the left-field wall for a three-run homer. In the middle of the eighth: Louisville 11, Kentucky 2.

Louisville takes 8-2 lead to eighth inning

Kentucky gets a two-out single from Bryan Rose, but Chad Wright grounds into a 3-6-3 double play. At the end of seven innings: Louisville 8, Kentucky 2.

Louisville erupts for 6 in 7th, leads UK 8-2

Drew Haynes

Drew Haynes

Trouble finds UK reliever Logan Darnell in the seventh inning. Alec Lowery leads off with a bloop single that drops between the right fielder, and first and second basemen. A passed ball moves Lowery to second, and he takes third when Jeff Arnold’s grounder slips under shortstop Andy Burns for an error. Darnell retires John Dao on a fly to shallow right. But Drew Haynes drives in Lowery with the go-ahead run, singling through the left side of the infield. Arnold holds at second base. Adam Duvall walks, loading the bases. Andrew Clark’s tapper down the first-base line leaves Darnell with only one play, to first base. But his throw is off the mark as Arnold and Haynes score, with Duvall advancing to third. That ends Darnell’s night as Coach Gary Henderson calls on his DH, Braden Kapteyn, to put out the fire. With his first pitch, Kapteyn hits Chris Dominguez and loads the bases. Phil Wunderlich singles through the right side to drive in two runs, Dominguez stopping at third. Ryan Wright’s base hit up the middle scores Dominguez and puts Wunderlich on second. Lowery and Arnold strike out. In the middle of the seventh inning: Louisville 8, Kentucky 2.

Kentucky, Louisville tied at 2 through 6 innings

Right-hander Derek Self comes out of the Louisville bullpen to pitch in the sixth. Self gives up a two-out walk to Keenan Wiley, but no more. Going to the seventh inning: Kentucky 2, Louisville 2.

Clark homers to give U of L 2-2 tie with Cats

Andrew Clark

Andrew Clark

Kentucky’s 2-1 lead doesn’t last long. Andrew Clark leads off the top of the sixth with a line-drive home run to the shortest part of the park — 310 feet down the right-field line — to gain a 2-2 tie for Louisville. UK starter Clint Tilford strikes out Chris Dominguez, then turns things over to left-hander Logan Darnell. Tilford finishes with two runs allowed on seven hits. He struck out five and did not walk a batter. Darnell strikes out Phil Wunderlich looking and Ryan Wright swinging. In the middle of the sixth inning: Kentucky 2, Louisville 2.

Cats reclaim lead with run in bottom of fifth

Kentucky answers Louisville’s run in the top of the fifth with one in the bottom of the inning. Chris McClendon leads off with an infield single. Marcus Nidiffer hits a potential double-play ball to third base, but second baseman Adam Duvall drops the throw from Chris Dominguez, leaving all hands safe. Bryan Rose bunts to move runners to second and third with one out. Chad Wright goes to first on a fielder’s choice, with McClendon thrown out at the plate. Andy Burns lines a single off the glove of Dominguez, driving in Nidiffer. Chris Bisson bounces out to end the inning. Going to the sixth: Kentucky 2, Louisville 1. 

U of L scores unearned run to tie Cats in fifth

Jeff Arnold

Jeff Arnold

Louisville ties the game at 1-1 with an unearned run in the fifth. Ryan Wright leads off with a grounder that splits the wickets of third baseman Chris McClendon for a two-base error. Alec Lowery strikes out, but Wright moves to third on a Clint Tilford wild pitch. Jeff Arnold drives home Wright with a single through the left side of the infield. Catcher Marcus Nidiffer cuts down Arnold trying to steal. But back-to-back singles by John Dao and Drew Haynes give U of L runners on the corners. Another wild pitch advances Haynes to second. Tilford avoids further damage, striking out Adam Duvall. In the middle of the fifth: Kentucky 1, Louisville 1.

Logsdon sets Cats down 1-2-3 in fourth

Louisville’s Gavin Logsdon retires Kentucky 1-2-3 in the fourth inning. Going to the fifth, UK has a run and two hits; Louisville has no runs, three hits and an error.

Cards threaten in fourth, but Cats hold on to lead

Clint Tilford

Clint Tilford

Louisville threatens in the fourth. One-out singles by Adam Duvall and Andrew Clark puts runners on the corners for cleanup batter Chris Dominguez. After a long-gone foul down the left-field line, Clint Tilford strikes out Dominguez with a changeup, then gets Phil Wunderlich on a fly to shallow left. In the middle of the fourth, it’s UK 1, U of L 0.

Nothing doing for UK in third; Cats lead 1-0

UK’s Chad Wright leads off the third and gets plunked on his helmet. However, Andy Burns grounds into a double play and Chris Bisson grounds out. After three innings, it’s Kentucky 1, Louisville 0.

Cards go down in order in third; Cats lead 1-0

Clint Tilford posts his second 1-2-3 inning of the game, getting a liner to left, a dribbler down the first-base line and a strikeout. Through three innings, he has given up one hit and faced the minimum nine batters. Going to the bottom of the third: UK 1, U of L 0.

Cats waste a chance in second inning

Kentucky looks to have something going in the second inning. Keenan Wiley walks, then steals second. Chris McClendon singles to center, a hit that should score Wiley. But Wiley, thinking the ball might be catchable, takes a couple steps back towards second and negates his chance to score. Nevertheless, third-base coach Brad Bohannon waves Wiley home. He’s dead meat, thrown out 8-4-2. Marcus Nidiffer singles over shortstop, moving McClendon to third. U of L coach Dan McDonnell goes to his bullpen when Neil Holland appears to injure himself on a fake pickoff move. Into the game comes lefty Gavin Logsdon, who gets Bryan Rose on a fly to short left field. After two innings: Kentucky 1, Louisville 0.

Cats turn double play to retire Cards in 2nd

Louisville’s Chris Dominguez leads off the second with a sharp single to center. It goes for naught, though, as Phil Wunderlich pops up and Ryan Wright bounces into a 5-4-3 double play — Chris McClendon to Chris Bisson to Gunner Glad. Going to the bottom of the second: UK 1, U of L 0.

Kentucky jumps to early lead over U of L

Andy Burns

Andy Burns

Kentucky grabs the early lead with an unearned run in the bottom of the first.

Andy Burns draws a one out walk. He steals second, continuing to third when catcher Jeff Arnold’s throw sails into center field. Chris Bisson’s grounder to second scores Burns. After one inning: Kentucky 1, Louisville 0.

Tilford sets U of L down in order in first

Kentucky’s Clint Tilford sets Louisville down in order in the first, getting a groundout, fly to center and a foul out.

Live college baseball: Cats vs. Cards

Getting set for Tuesday’s Louisville-at-Kentucky baseball game, scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m.

UK will take the field without shortstop Chris Wade, ending his streak of 106 consecutive starts. The sophomore out of Lexington Christian had started and completed every game of his collegiate career until being taken out late in Sunday’s loss at Alabama due to a tweaked hamstring. Filling in Tuesday will be freshman Andy Burns.

Jodie Meeks

Jodie Meeks

This is the second meeting of the season between the Wildcats and Cardinals. UK won 8-7 at U of L.

All-American basketball player Jodie Meeks, who is considering turning pro, threw out the ceremonial first pitch. UK fans responded by cheering “One more year! One more year!”

The lineups:

LOUISVILLE (29-13)Drew Haynes, cf; Adam Duvall, 2b; Andrew Clark, 1b; Chris Dominguez, 3b; Phil Wunderlich, lf; Ryan Wright, rf; Alec Lowrey, dh; Jeff Arnold, c; John Dao, ss. Pitching — RH Neil Holland (0-0, 6.57).

KENTUCKY (22-21)Chad Wright, lf; Andy Burns, ss; Chris Bisson, 2b; Gunner Glad, 1b; Braden Kapteyn, dh; Keenan Wiley, cf; Chris McClendon, 3b; Marcus Nidiffer, c; Bryan Rose, rf. Pitching — RH Clint Tilford (1-4, 6.64).

Umpires Clarence Coleman, hp; Keith Shartzer, 1b; Jay Asher, 3b.

Weather — Overcast, 70 degrees, 8 mph wind, right field to left.

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Georgia completes 3-game sweep of Kentucky

April 12, 2009

In the bottom of the ninth, Kentucky’s Chris Bisson knocks a one-out bloop single to left. He takes second on a wild pitch and third on Gunner Glad’s groundout to second. Chris McClendon grounds to second, as the Cats strand their 10th runner of the game. FINAL SCORE: Georgia 5, Kentucky 4.

Lewis homers to put Bulldogs on top

Kentucky makes a defensive change to start the ninth, Marcus Nidiffer replacing Michael Williams as catcher. Joey Lewis leads off with a high-arcing home run over the left-field wall, his 11th homer of the season. Pinch-hitter Chase Davidson reaches on a throwing error by second baseman Chris Bisson, then steals second. With Lyle Allen in an 0-2 hole, UK Coach Gary Henderson makes a pitching change — left-hander Logan Darnell taking over for righty Clint Tilford — after Allen drives a long, long ball barely foul down the right-field line. Allen swings at the first pitch and pops out to short center field. Davidson is nailed at third on a strike ‘em out, throw ‘em out double play. Going to the bottom of the ninth, Davidson stays in the Georgia lineup in right field; Peter Verdin moves from right to center; and Dean Weaver comes on to pitch. The score: Georgia 5, Kentucky 4.

Wright is caught stealing to end 8th

Kentucky gets a two-out single, up the middle, from Chad Wright, but he is caught stealing. Moving to the top of the ninth: Kentucky 4, Georgia 4.

Tilford keeps door shut in 8th

UK right-hander Clint Tilford works his second consecutive perfect inning of relief. Going to the bottom of the eighth: Kentucky 4, Georgia 4.

Left-fielder Allen makes diving catch to snuff UK rally

Chris Bisson leads off the Kentucky seventh with a single. One out later, he steals second. With two outs, Bisson steals third as Chris Wade draws a walk. Keenan Wiley lofts a fly to short left-center, but is robbed of a run-scoring hit as left-fielder Lyle Allen makes a diving catch for the third out. Going to the eighth: Kentucky 4, Georgia 4.

Tilford perfect in first inning of relief

UK reliever Clint Tilford retires Georgia in order in the seventh, getting a pair of groundouts and a strikeout. Going to the bottom of the inning, Georgia right-hander Will Harvil comes in to replace Justin Earle; Miles Starr takes over at second base for Michael Dermperio. Through 6 1/2 innings: Kentucky 4, Georgia 4.

Error pushes across tying run for Wildcats in sixth
Keenan Wiley

Keenan Wiley

The Wildcats claw back in the sixth. Keenan Wiley bounces a one-out single up the middle and, as Michael Williams strikes out, steals second. Georgia second baseman Michael Demperio makes a nice stop of Bryan Rose’s grounder but, in his hurry to make the throw to first, fires past first baseman Rich Poythress. Wiley scores and Rose advances to second, the play ruled as a single and a throwing error. Left-hander Justin Earle replaces Georgia starter Justin Grimm and walks Chad Wright. But Andy Burns is out on a tapper to the pitcher. Going to the top of the seventh, right-hander Clint Tilford will take over from starter James Paxton on the mound for Kentucky. The score: Kentucky 4, Georgia 4.

Paxton notches ninth and 10th strikeouts of game

UK lefty James Paxton retires Georgia in order in the sixth. He strikes out the last two batters, bringing his day’s total to 10. In the middle of the sixth: Georgia 4, Kentucky 3.
Cats can’t score in fifth

Kentucky gets a one-out single from Gunner Glad, but nothing else, in the fifth. Going to the sixth inning: Georgia 4, Kentucky 3.

Poythress goes deep to give Georgia a 4-3 lead
Rich Poythress

Rich Poythress

Georgia takes back the lead with two runs in the top of the fifth. James Paxton retired the first two batters, but lost Colby May to a walk on 12 pitches. Rich Poythress then lined a 1-0 pitch over the old scoreboard in right field. The homer, his 16th of the season, increased Poythress’ NCAA-leading RBI total to 60. Georgia now has homered in 33 of 35 games. Going to the bottom of the fifth: Georgia 4, Kentucky 3.
Cats go down in order in fourth
Kentucky goes down 1-2-3 in the fourth inning. Heading into the fifth: Kentucky 3, Georgia 2.

Paxton strikes out the side in fourth

UK left-hander James Paxton strikes out the side in a perfect fourth inning. Going to the bottom of the fourth: Kentucky 3, Georgia 2.

Wildcats take 3-2 lead on Wade’s RBI-double
Chris Wade

Chris Wade

Kentucky seizes the lead in the bottom of the third. Gunner Glad draws a one-out walk and takes second when Georgia right-hander Justin Grimm is called for a balk. Grimm fans Chris McClendon. But Glad comes around to score when Chris Wade doubles down the third-base line. Through three complete innings: Kentucky 3, Georgia 2.
Double play ends Georgia’s chances in third inning
Georgia gets a one-out infield single in the third from Bryce Massaneri. The threat ends there as Joey Lewis grounds into a 6-4-3 double play. Going to the bottom of the third: Kentucky 2, Georgia 2.

Cats tie on Williams’ RBI-single in second inning
Michael Williams

Michael Williams

Kentucky bounces back in the bottom of the second. Leading off, Chris Wade reaches on a third-strike wild pitch. Keenan Wiley walks. Michael Williams drops a run-scoring single to short left-center. The Cats go on to put runners on second and third with two outs. But Andy Burns, who homered in his first at-bat, takes a called third strike. After two innings: Kentucky 2, Georgia 2.
Georgia rallies for two runs in second inning
Georgia answers Kentucky’s run with a quick one in the second. Zach Cone leads off with a double down the right-field line. One out later, he scores on Michael Demperio’s double to the gap in right-center. A groundout moves Demperio to third base. He scores as Peter Verdin beats out a “Baltimore Chop” single to shortstop. After 1 1/2 innings: Georgia 2, Kentucky 1.

Burns homers to give UK early 1-0 lead

Kentucky takes the early lead as No. 2 batter Andy Burns parks the first pitch he sees over the wall in left-center field. Chris Bisson follows with a single, but that’s all for the Cats in the first inning. Going to the second: Kentucky 1, Georgia 0.

Georgia strands a pair of runners in first

UK lefty James Paxton walks two of the first three batters, with a wild pitch helping put runners on the corners with one out. But Bryce Massanari strikes out looking and Joey Lewis goes down swinging. After half an inning: no score.

Play ball!

Kentucky and Georgia wrap up a three-game Southeastern Conference baseball series Sunday at Cliff Hagan Stadium. Georgia swept a pair of 7-4 decisions.

The lineups:

Georgia – Peter Verdin, rf; Colby May, 3b; Rich Poythress, 1b; Bryce Massanari, dh; Joey Lewis, c; Zach Cone, cf; Lyle Allen, lf; Michael Demperio, 2b; Levi Hyams, ss. Pitching — RH Justin Grimm (2-1, 4.58).

Kentucky – Chad Wright, lf; Andy Burns, dh; Chris Bisson, 2b; Gunner Glad, 1b; Chris McClendon, 3b; Chris Wade, ss; Keenan Wiley, cf; Michael Williams, c; Bryan Rose, rf. Pitching — LH James Paxton (4-2, 6.08).

Umpires – Darrell Arnold, plate; Ray Gregson, first base; Tony Maners, third base.

Weather – 53 degrees, mostly sunny. Wind 15 mph out to right, gusting to 22 mph.


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Georgia deals Kentucky a fifth straight loss

April 11, 2009
The baseball adage is nearly as old as the game itself: Walks kill.
Georgia took advantage of nine walks to supplement an eight-hit attack en route to a 7-4 victory over Kentucky in Saturday afternoon’s opener of a three-game Southeastern Conference series at UK’s Cliff Hagan Stadium.
Of the nine walks issued by Kentucky pitchers, five of those base-runners scored.
Georgia catcher Bryce Massanari drew four walks in five plate appearances, scoring three times. Johnathan Taylor and Rich Poythress also scored after drawing walks.
Wildcats starter Alex Meyer (1-2) labored through 4 2/3 innings. He gave up six runs, five earned, on five hits, seven walks and six strikeouts. Of his 108 pitches, 54 were strikes, 54 were balls.
The Bulldogs (26-7, 9-4 SEC) had two hits each from Matt Cerione, Lyle Allen and Colby May. Allen drove in three runs with a two-run homer and a sacrifice fly.
Starter Trevor Holder lasted 5 1/3 innings to get the win. Dean Weaver pitched the ninth to notch his sixth save.
Gunner Glad led UK’s nine-hit attack with three hits and a pair of RBI. Keenan Wiley had a pair of solo home runs. Chris Bisson and Chad Wright added two singles each.
The Wildcats got strong relief from Tyler Henry, who gave up a run on three hits and two walks, striking out six, over 4 1/3 innings.
UK (18-14, 4-9) has lost five games in a row.
The teams will meet again Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.
Inning-by-inning recap
Right-hander Dean Weaver comes out of the Georgia bullpen to start the bottom of the ninth. With one out, Kentucky’s Chris McClendon reaches on a third-strike wild pitch. Gunner Glad’s third hit of the game, a single to the gap in right-center, moves McClendon to third base. Weaver caught Bryan Rose looking at a called third strike over the inside corner. Pinch-hitter Cory Farris popped out to third. Final score: Georgia 7, Kentucky 4.
Bulldogs add a run in the ninth
Georgia adds a run in the ninth. Bryce Massaroni draws a one-out walk, advancing to third on Lyle Allen’s base hit. Tyler Henry’s pickoff move catches Allen leaning at first base. When Allen breaks for second, first baseman Gunner Glad fires the ball to shortstop Chris Wade. So Massaroni breaks for the plate. Wade pegs the ball to catcher Marcus Nidiffer, but up the first-base line, as Massaroni scores and Allen pulls in safely at second. Henry retires the next two batters. Going to the bottom of the ninth: Georgia 7, Kentucky 4.
Cats get nothing in eighth
Keenan Wiley just misses hitting a third consecutive homer, leading off the Kentucky eighth with a fly ball to deep right. Andy Burns walks, but is stranded. Going to the ninth inning: Georgia 6, Kentucky 4.
Henry strikes out the side in eighth
UK’s Tyler Henry strikes out the side, 1-2-3, in the top of the eighth. With UK coming to bat: Georgia 6, Kentucky 4.
Cats strand a runner in seventh
After getting the first out in the seventh, Georgia reliever Michael Palazzone walks Bryan Rose. Coach David Perno calls in another right-hander for the Bulldogs bullpen, Will Harvil. Rose gets caught stealing and Marcus Nidiffer strikes out. Going to the eighth inning: Georgia 6, Kentucky 4.
Georgia strands runner in seventh
In the top of the seventh, Georgia’s Colby May beats out a two-out infield single. But Tyler Henry strikes out Levi Hyams to end the inning. Going to the bottom of the seventh: Georgia 6, Kentucky 4.
Killer Keenan ‘goes yard’ second straight chance
Keenan Wiley

Keenan Wiley

For a second consecutive at-bat, UK’s Keenan Wiley goes deep, lining a leadoff homer well beyond the right-field wall. His second homer of the game also is his second of the season. One out later, Chad Wright reaches on an infield single and Chris Bisson reaches on a fielding error by second baseman Michael Demperio. That finishes Trevor Holder’s day as Georgia Coach David Perno summons right-hander Michael Palazzone from the bullpen. Palazzone gets Chris Wade and Chris McClendon to fly out. At the end of six innings: Georgia 6, Kentucky 4.

Nothing doing for Bulldogs in sixth
UK’s Tyler Henry sets Georgia down in order. In the middle of the sixth inning: Georgia 6, Kentucky 3.
Nothing doing for Cats in fifth
Gunner Glad gets a one-out double for Kentucky, but the Wildcats get nothing else. At the end of five innings: Georgia 6, Kentucky 3.
Georgia scores three in fifth to take 6-3 lead
Lyle Allen

Lyle Allen

The first two Georgia batters in the fifth reach safely — Matt Cerione on a single and Rich Poythress on a full-count walk. Another full-count walk — the third walk in as many plate appearances for Bryce Massaneri — loads the bases with no outs. Lyle Allen, who smacked a two-run homer his previous at-bat, drives in Cerione with the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly to right. UK starter Alex Meyer gets Joey Lewis on a pop to second, but walks Colby May on a 3-2 pitch to again load the bases. Meyer, having given up five hits and seven walks while striking out six, is replaced by right-hander Tyler Henry. Henry puts Levi Hyams in an 0-2 hole. On the third pitch, a ball, UK catcher Marcus Nidiffer tries to catch Poythress straying from third. But the ball skips past third baseman Chris McClendon for a run-scoring error on Nidiffer. Hyams then hits a high chopper down the line. McClendon, looking for a friendly bounce into foul territory, lets the ball go. It skips past, staying fair, for an odd run-scoring double. A walk loads the bases, but Henry retires Johnathan Taylor on a fly to center. In the middle of the fifth inning: Georgia 6, Kentucky 3.

Wiley ties it with first homer of season
Just as Georgia did in the top of the fourth, Kentucky figured out a way to use the wind — blowing out towards right field — to its advantage. With one out and nobody on, Keenan Wiley ripped a 2-1 pitch well past the right-field wall for his first homer of the season. The Cats then get runners to first and third with two outs, but they are stranded. After four innings: Kentucky 3, Georgia 3.
Bulldogs retake lead on Allen’s two-run homer

Georgia wasted little time in taking the lead back from Kentucky. Bryce Massanari led off the fourth with a walk. Lyle Allen then lined a two-run homer just over the short (310 feet down the line) wall in right field. The Bulldogs put two more runners on, but they were stranded at second and third. After 3 1/2 innings: Georgia 3, Kentucky 2.

Glad drives in a pair for UK
Gunner Glad

Gunner Glad

Kentucky gets a pair of one-out hits in the third. Chad Wright bunts to the first-base side for a single and moves to second on Chris Bisson’s “swinging bunt” single towards the mound. Wright takes third on Chris Wade’s fly to right, and a walk by Chris McClendon loads the bases for cleanup hitter Gunner Glad. Swinging at a 2-0 pitch, Glad dropped a Texas League-single into short center. Wright and Bisson scored, with McClendon taking third. Georgia averts further damage as left-fielder Johnathan Taylor makes a diving catch of Bryan Rose’s drive down the line. After three innings: Kentucky 2, Georgia 1.

Cats turn double play to end Georgia’s third

Georgia gets a one-out single from Matt Cerione in the third inning. But Alex Meyer induces Rich Poythress to ground into a 6-4-3 double play (Chris Wade to Chris Bisson to Gunner Glad). Going to the bottom of the third: Georgia 1, Kentucky 0.

Cats get a runner

Kentucky gets its first base-runner as Bryan Rose draws a one-out walk. He gets to second on a wild pitch, but is stranded there. Through two innings: Georgia 1, Kentucky 0.

McClendon’s web gem sets up 1-2-3 inning
Chris McClendon

Chris McClendon

Georgia goes down in order in the second, thanks to Kentucky third baseman Chris McClendon. Leadoff man Colby May was robbed of a hit when McClendon made a diving stab of a liner down the line, righted himself and threw out May at first. Alex Meyer struck out the next two batters. After 1 1/2 innings: Georgia 1, Kentucky 0.

Cats go down 1-2-3 in first

Georgia starter Trevor Holder sets the Wildcats down in order, striking out two. After one inning: Georgia 1, Kentucky 0.

Bulldogs strike first
Rich Poythress

Rich Poythress

Georgia takes a 1-0 lead in the first. Johnathan Taylor drew a leadoff walk, stole second and went to third on Matt Cerione’s groundout. Rich Poythress followed with a run-scoring single up the middle — his NCAA-leading 57th RBI of the season. Two more Bulldogs reached base before UK starter Alex Meyer struck out Lyle Allen and Joey Lewis to end the threat. After half an inning: Georgia 1, Kentucky 0.

Play Ball!

At Cliff Hagan Stadium for the start of Kentucky’s three-game Southeastern Conference baseball series against Georgia.

After being rained out Friday night, the teams are scheduled to play two Saturday, at 2 p.m and the regularly scheduled time of 7 p.m.

Lineups for the first game:

Georgia – Johnathan Taylor, lf; Matt Cerione, cf; Rich Poythress, 1b; Bryce Massanari, c; Lyle Allen, rf; Joey Lewis, dh; Colby May, 3b; Levi Hyams, ss; Michael Demperio, 2b. Pitching: RH Trevor Holder (5-2, 3.48).

Kentucky – Chris Bisson, 2b; Chris Wade, ss; Chris McClendon, 3b; Gunner Glad, 1b; Bryan Rose, rf; Marcus Nidiffer, c; Keenan Wiley, cf; Andy Burns, dh; Chad Wright, lf. Pitching: RH Alex Meyer (1-1, 4.04).

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Rusin, Burns lead UK’s 5-0 win over Indiana State

March 7, 2009

 

Chris Rusin

Chris Rusin

Chris Rusin threw eight shutout innings, while Andy Burns went 3-for-3 with three RBI as Kentucky shut out Indiana State 5-0 Saturday at Cliff Hagan Stadium.

Rusin, a senior left-hander, gave up six hits and a walk, striking out nine. Now 2-1, he threw 110 pitches, 73 for strikes, and dropped his ERA from 6.75 to 3.63. Only one Indiana State runner reached second base — in an eighth inning that included two errors and Rusin’s lone walk.

Tyler Henry closed with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.

Burns drove in UK’s first three runs. His second-inning triple scored two runs, and a fourth-inning sacrifice fly made it 3-0.

“It’s a lot off your chest when you get the runs and you can just go out there and throw,” Rusin said. “Nothing to hold back, throw a lot of strikes, get some early action and, hopefully, you can go the whole game.”

UK pitchers have allowed one walk in 18 innings against Indiana State. The Wildcats for a three-game sweep Sunday at 1 p.m.

In addition to his offensive production, Burns contributed some nifty defense from the get-go. The second batter of the game, Koby Kraemer, hit a slow roller in no-man’s land between the mound, third and short. Burns charged, made a clean pick and threw out Kraemer.

An inning later, Sycamores leadoff batter Luke Fieser singled. Tyler Graham tried to advance Fieser with a bunt.

Gary Henderson

Gary Henderson

However, Burns charged, plucked the popup out of the air, then fired to first to double off Fieser.

“The ball just kept finding me,” Burns said, “and that’s what you’ve got to do in a game like that.”

Coach Gary Henderson liked what he saw from Burns.

“I thought he was much more aggressive at third base. Much more aggressive, looser, more confident,” Henderson said. “And, boy, it’s surprising how often those things go hand in hand with a young player. A little success on one side, then helps out the other side. (I’m) really pleased with his development. Obviously, it was a great day for him.”

Following are the notes filed live during the game.

Baseball final: Kentucky 5, Indiana State 0

UK’s Tyler Henry retired Luke Fieser, Brian Jett and pinch-hitter Brian Ramirez in order in the ninth. Final score: Kentucky 5, Indiana State 0.

A full recap will be coming in Sunday’s Herald-Leader and online at http://www.kentucky.com/820/story/718452.html.

 Wildcats take 5-0 lead to ninth inning

UK’s Andy Burns notches his third hit of the game, a single, but that’s all for UK in the eighth. RHP Tyler Henry will come on in the ninth and try to close the shutout. Through eight: UK 5, ISU 0.

Rusin wriggles out of jam in 8th; UK leads 5-0

Fielding errors on SS Chris Wade and 2B Chris Bisson, plus a two-out walk to Nick Ciolli, put Chris Rusin in a bind in the top of the eighth.  A 6-4-3 double play and called third strike led to two runners being stranded. Bisson’s error was the first by a UK second baseman in 376 days. The previous E was charged to Neiko Johnson in February of 2008. Going to the bottom of the eighth: UK 5, ISU 0

Wildcats take 5-0 lead into the eighth inning

With one out in the bottom of the seventh, UK’s Marcus Nidiffer singles and Chad Wright walks. But RH Brandon Smith retires Neiko Johnson on a liner to center, then gets pinch-hitter Bryan Rose on a called third strike. Though seven innings: UK 5, ISU 0. Rose remains in the game, playing right field.

Kentucky leads Indiana State 5-0 in 7th

Indiana State’s Joe Meggs is stranded after knocking a two-out single up the middle. Going to the bottom of the seventh: UK 5, ISU 0.

Pitching change for the Sycamores: RH Brandon Smith. Starter Eric Valdez worked six innings, giving up five runs, three earned, on six hits and five walks. He struck out four.

Kentucky leads Indiana State 5-0 through 6th

Kentucky gets a sixth-inning single by Andy Burns, but nothing else. Heading to the seventh: UK 5, ISU 0.

Kentucky’s Rusin working on a gem

ISU snaps LHP Chris Rusin’s string of retired batters at nine, getting a two-out single through the right side of the infield by Nick Ciolli. However, that’s all the Sycamores get as Rusin strikes out the side. Through the top of the sixth, Rusin has a five-hit shutout going. All five hits are singles. He has not given a walk and has struck out seven.

Indiana State makes a couple of defensive changes in the bottom of the sixth. Ben Ferrell comes in at second, Brian Jett at first.

Wildcats up lead to 5-0 through five innings
Neiko Johnson

Neiko Johnson

UK adds a run in the fifth to take a 5-0 lead. Keenan Wiley and Marcus Nidiffer opened the inning with back-to-back singles. The runners moved to second and third on Chad Wright’s sacrifice bunt. Wiley scored on Neiko Johnson’s sacrifice fly to short center. ISU 1B Tyler Graham took the cutoff throw on the mound, then threw wildly past catcher Bronco Lafrenz, which allowed Nidiffer to move to third. Cory Farris struck out to end the inning.

Rusin locks down ISU again

In the top of the fifth, LHP Chris Rusin retires Indiana State 1-2-3 for a second consecutive inning. Overall, he has retired seven in a row.

UK pads lead to 4-0

UK’s Andy Burns, who tripled in two runs in the second, added an RBI in the fourth. Neiko Johnson and Cory Farris started the inning with back-to-back walks. Chris Wade’s bunt down the first-base line went for a hit, loading the bases. A sacrifice fly to center, by Burns, scored Johnson and moved Farris to third. Farris scored when Chris Bisson legged out a fielder’s choice, avoiding a double play. Through four innings: UK 4, ISU 0.

1-2-3 in top of the fourth

UK LHP Chris Rusin retires Indiana State 1-2-3 in the top of the fourth.

Cats waste leadoff double

Bottom of the third, UK’s Braden Kapteyn leads off with a double to the gap in left-center. But ISU RH Eric Valdez retires the next three in order, including two strikeouts. Through three innings: UK 2, ISU 0.

Nothing doing for ISU in third

In the top of the third, Indiana State’s gets back-to-back two-out singles by Ryan Strausborger and Koby Kraemer. But UK lefty Chris Rusin punches out Nick Ciolli to end the inning. UK 2, ISU 0.

Kentucky takes 2-0 lead in second inning
Andy Burns

Andy Burns

Andy Burns delivered a two-out, two-run triple to the gap in right-center, giving Kentucky a 2-0 lead in the second. Leadoff batter Chad Wright reached on a fielding error by 2B Koby Kraemer. One out later, Cory Farris walked. A strikeout later, Burns tripled. Sycamores CF Ryan Strausborger made a valiant attempt at a catch, but his all-out dive earned just a soft glance off his glove. Burns was stranded when Chris Bisson flied to left.

No score through 1 1/2 innings

Indiana State got a two-out single from Nick Ciolli in the first and a leadoff single by Luke Fieser in the second. Fieser was erased when Tyler Graham popped up to third baseman Andy Burns on a bunt attempt, with Fieser doubled up easily at first base.

UK had a pair of first-inning walks, but Braden Kapteyn was picked off second base to end the inning.

Lineups

Indiana State (9-3) – Ryan Strausborger, cf; Koby Kraemer, 2b; Nick Ciolli, rf; Brady Shoemaker, lf; Luke Fieser, 3b; Tyler Graham, 1b; Joe Meggs, dh; Pascual del Real, ss; Bronco Lafrenz, c. Pitching: RH Eric Valdez (1-0, 2.19).

Kentucky (7-2) – Chris Bisson, 2b; Braden Kapteyn, 1b; Keenan Wiley, cf; Marcus Nidiffer, c; Chad Wright, lf; Neiko Johnson, dh; Cory Farris, rf; Chris Wade, ss; Andy Burns, 3b. Pitching: LH Chris Rusin (1-1, 6.75).

Umpires – John Bennett, home; Don Hudson, 1b; Nathan Huber, 3b.

Weather – (unofficial) 69 degrees, wind 12 mph, in from rf, with gusts up to 23 mph.

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