Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

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South Atlantic League baseball

Kannapolis Intimidators at Lexington Legends

What: Four-game series

When: Monday through Thursday (7:05 Monday, Tuesday and Thursday nights; 10:05 Wednesday morning)

Where: Applebee’s Park

Tickets: Call    (859) 422-7867   

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends); Chicago White Sox

Brandt Walker

Jose Cisnero

Robby Donovan

Tanner Bushue

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Monday, RH Brandt Walker (1-1, 8.27) vs. RH Cameron Bayne (1-3, 4.15) Tuesday, RH Jose Cisnero (1-0, 4.82) vs. RH Matt Hopps (0-1, 5.12); Wednesday, RH Tanner Bushue (1-1, 2.81) vs. RH Justin Collop (0-2, 6.75); Thursday, RH Robby Donovan (1-3, 3.91) vs. LH Joe Serafin (3-2, 2.64).

Trayce Thompson

Intimidator to watch: CF Trayce Thompson (6-foot-3, 195 pounds, from Ladera Ranch, Calif.) is hitting .278 with three homers, seven RBI and eight runs over 14 games with the Intimidators. A second-round draft pick of the White Sox last year, Thompson said no to UCLA and signed out of Santa Margarita High School for $625,000. He played seven games with Great Falls of the Pioneer League and 25 with Bristol of the Appalachian League last season, hitting a combined .198 with 10 RBI. Baseball America rates Thompson as the sixth-best prospect in the White Sox system. He is the son of Mychal Thompson, the No. 1 pick in the 1978 NBA draft.

Jake Goebbert

Legend to watch: LF Jake Goebbert (6-0, 200, from Hampshire, Ill.) leads the Legends with 12 doubles and ranks third or better in several other offensive categories, including: 29 hits, 16 RBI, 19 runs, 46 total bases, .465 slugging percentage and .804 OPS. The left-hander (batting and throwing) has yet to commit an error and has hits in each of his last three games and five of six contests. Drafted by the Astros in the 13th round (401st overall) of last year’s draft, out of Northwestern University, Goebbert broke a 31-year-old school record for the Wildcats when he belted a Big Ten-leading 22 doubles in 2008, his sophomore season. He also led the team homers (10), RBI (48), walks (28), slugging (.665) and on-base percentage (.458) that season, batting .353 over 49 games. As a junior, Goebbert hit .280 with four homers and 23 RBI over 30 games, while earning Academic All-Big Ten honors. Upon being signed by the Astros, Goebbert played 59 games with the Tri-City ValleyCats of the New York-Penn League. With Tri-City, he hit .238 with 18 RBI.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

Promotions, etc.: Monday is “Kids Eat Free Night” at Applebee’s Park. … Tuesday is Quarter Hot Dog Night and Kraft Singles Night. … Wednesday is Education Day, Ladies Day and Mascot Olympics Day. … The Kannapolis series concludes with Thirsty Thursday. … The eight-game homestand continues with four games against the Greensboro Grasshoppers, Friday through next Monday (May 10).