LEXINGTON, Ky. — Coming off an opening weekend in South Carolina, the Kentucky baseball team returns to the Commonwealth, traveling to face Morehead State on Tuesday, with first pitch at Allen Field slated for a 2 p.m. ET first pitch.
The game will be broadcast live on the Big Blue Sports Network (radio), with the Voice of UK Baseball, Neil Price calling the action. Fans in Lexington can hear the game live on WGVN 1580-AM, or online at UKathletics.com. In addition, the game will be televised live by the Wazoo Sports Network with Joe Burchell and Jim Tirey calling the action. Fans can see the game live on Insight-Lexington (channel 524) and on Comcast-Louisville (channel 208).
Kentucky (0-3) is coming off a weekend tournament at College of Charleston, where the Wildcats fell to No. 20 COC, Marshall and Miami (Ohio). Kentucky (0-3) got a sterling starting pitching performance on Sunday vs. Miami (Ohio) from junior Alex Meyer, who tossed a career-high seven innings, allowing only three hits and one earned run, while striking out a career-best 13. Meyer was the hard-luck loser in the 3-1 loss to the RedHawks, with the go-ahead run scoring on an error. On Monday, Meyer was named Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week by the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.
UK sophomore southpaw Taylor Rogers also charted a quality start on Saturday in a 6-4 loss to Marshall, allowing two runs in six innings, not issuing a walk and striking out seven. Friday, in the season-opener at the College of Charleston, UK dropped its first season-opener in six years, despite getting a three-run, opposite-field homer from junior Braden Kapteyn.
The Wildcats were held to a .181 batting average on the weekend, playing a host of newcomers and first-year starters. Sophomore catcher Luke Maile led the Wildcats at the plate, batting .364 (4-for-11) with a double and two RBI. Kapteyn batted .250 (3-for-12) with a double, a double, a homer and the three RBI. Senior shortstop Taylor Black belted his first career triple to spark a run-scoring opportunity for the Wildcats in Sunday’s game.
Morehead State will turn to Cody Gibson for his first start of the season. Gibson served as a key reliever for the Eagles in 2010, appearing in 16 games with one start, totaling three saves, a 1-2 record and a 7.92 ERA. In 25 innings last year, Gibson allowed 33 hits, walked 13 and struck out 18. Gibson made one appearance to open the season, allowing six hits and six runs, while getting two outs.
Morehead State (0-3) is coming off a three-game sweep at the hands of Western Carolina. The Eagles hit .228 as a team in the opening three games and totaled a 10.88 team ERA. Offensively, MSU was led by Michael Fear, who hit .400 (4-for-10), while Travis Redmon hit .357 (5-for-14) and Taylor Davis hit the lone Eagles homer on opening weekend.
UK owns a 42-25 all-time record in the series with the Eagles, winning three consecutive meetings. In games, played at Morehead, the series is tied 10-10. Last season, the Wildcats posted a 5-2 win over the Eagles in a game that was originally scheduled to be played in Morehead. Due to weather concerns the game was moved to Lexington, with UK riding strong pitching performances from several pitchers, including Jordan Cooper, Sam Kidd, Walter Wijas, Mike Kaczmarek and Matt Little, with Little recording the first of seven saves on the year. Kidd picked up the win, the first of his career.
Following the midweek tilts with Morehead State and the home opener on Wednesday Eastern Michigan at 4 p.m. ET, UK will remain home for its first series at Cliff Hagan, hosting the University of Illinois-Chicago, beginning Friday at 4 p.m. ET.
Records
Kentucky – 0-3, 0-0 SEC
Morehead State – 0-3, 0-0 OVC
Schedule (times Eastern and subject to change) – Morehead, Ky.
Tuesday, February 22 * 2:00 p.m.
Radio (BBSN with Neil Price)
Tuesday, Feb. 22
WGVN 1580-AM in Lexington
Tentative Pitching Matchups
Tuesday vs. Morehead State
Fr., LHP Corey Littrell (0-1, 19.29 ERA) vs. So., RHP Cody Gibson (0-0, 81.00 ERA)
Stadium
Allen Field
