April 9, 2012
LEXINGTON, Ky. — After charting 20 total bases during a four-game week in leading No. 1 Kentucky to a series win over No. 10 Ole Miss, junior catcher Luke Maile has been named the Southeastern Conference Co-Player of the Week, it was announced by the league office on Monday afternoon.
A native of Crestview Hills, Ky., Maile shares the SEC Player of the Week accolade with Alabama senior centerfielder Taylor Dugas, who hit a walk-off homer in a series sweep over No. 24 Auburn last weekend.
Maile hit .471 (8-for-17) during the week with 20 total bases, including three doubles, three homers and six RBI. He extended his seven-game hitting streak during the week, including a two-homer game in a midweek win over Dayton, also adding a double and four RBI. In a series opener vs. No. 10 Ole Miss, Maile collected a pair of run-sparking doubles in a 3-2 win, notching the go-ahead tally in a 3-2 win. In the series clinching win on Sunday, Maile belted a solo homer to tie the game, finishing 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
On the year, Maile has hit .341 (42-for-123) with nine doubles, nine homers and 36 RBI, stealing seven bases. In his three-year career, Maile owns a .296 average (99-for-335) with 19 doubles, three triples, 21 homers and 78 RBI, stealing 15 bases.
Kentucky (30-3, 9-3 SEC) has now won all four of its conference series to open up league play and have soared to No. 1 for the second consecutive week, UK’s first No. 1 national ranking in program history. On Monday, UK stayed at No. 1 in the Collegiate Baseball poll, advanced to a program-best No. 3 in the Baseball America top-25, moved to No. 2 in the Perfect Game USA rankings and checked in No. 2 in the USA Today/ESPN coaches’ top-25.
The SEC weekly honor is the four for a UK player this year, as two-way standout A.J. Reed and centerfielder Austin Cousino were named SEC Freshman of the Week earlier in the year, with junior outfielder Zac Zellers also earning SEC Player of the Week honors.
The Wildcats will host No. 20 Louisville on Tuesday, with first pitch slated for 6:30 p.m. ET at Cliff Hagan Stadium. UK will send. Reed (4-0, 2.42 ERA) to the mound to face Louisville freshman right-hander Jared Ruxer (4-0, 2.37 ERA). The game will be televised live on the UK IMG Network, with Dick Gabriel, Ryan Lemond and MLB Gold Glove winner Doug Flynn calling the action.
Fans can see the game on Fox Sports South, in addition to locally on C-WKYT and in Louisville on WMYO-TV. The game will also be broadcast live on the UK IMG Radio Network, available in Central Kentucky on WLAP 630-AM, in Louisville on WKJK 1080-AM and online at UKathletics.com. Louisville (23-9, 7-2 Big East) will enter the Tuesday tilt coming off a road series win at Georgetown over the weekend. The Cardinals were ranked as high as No. 18 in the polls last week, entering their three-game conference tilt at the Hoyas.
