May 11, 2010
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Coming off its fifth walk-off loss of the season on the road Tuesday night at Indiana, the Kentucky baseball team will return to action in its final non-conference home game of the season, hosting Lipscomb at 6:30 p.m. ET at Cliff Hagan Stadium Wednesday.
Kentucky (26-22) fell 18-17 in 10 innings at Indiana, its fifth walk-off loss of the season. Indiana scored eight runs over the final two innings to even the game at 16-16 and UK got a run in the top of the 10th inning to take a one-run lead into the bottom of the 10th inning. Indiana got its lead-off hitter on base courtesy of an infield single and after UK reliever Kyle Jackson – working in his first game since April 20 – got the next two outs and intentionally walked slugger Alex Dickerson, IU got the walk-off double.
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 WLAP 630-AM and in Louisville on WKJK 1080-AM, in addition to a broadcast on UKathletics.com.
The Wildcats are coming off a series win over No. 4 South Carolina last weekend, using strong pitching performances from its weekend rotation. After falling in game one Friday night to the Gamecocks, UK won 2-1 Saturday behind freshman starting pitcher Jordan Cooper and posted a series-clinching 9-3 win Sunday, with sophomore Alex Meyer turning in seven strong innings on the bump.
Lipscomb will turn to senior right-hander Matt Bowling (0-5, 14.25 ERA) for the starting assignment, while UK will turn to freshman right-hander Sam Kidd (1-1, 8.59 ERA) for the start. In 10 games and four starts this season, Kidd has tossed 22 innings, allowing 34 hits and walking 10 with 14 strikeouts.
Lipscomb (16-31) is coming off a series defeat at the hands of North Florida in Jacksonville, Fla. Lipscomb salvaged the series with an 18-6 win in the series finale Sunday. The Bisons have been led offensively by Tyler Wilson who is hitting a team-high .343 (73-for-213) with 12 doubles, two triples, five homers, 33 RBI and 34 stolen bases. Cory Hale leads the team in homers with 12 and has hit .296 (50-for-169) with 12 doubles and 48 RBI. Zach Messer leads the team in RBI with 50 behind 12 doubles, five homers and a .291 (58-for-199). Lee Wilson and Ryan Wilkins are hitting over .300 for the Bisons with Wilson holding a .335 (52-for-155) average with six doubles and 24 RBI and Wilkins posting a .305 (53-for-174) average with seven homers and 35 RBI. M. L. Williams is hitting 299 (56-for-187) with nine doubles and 23 RBI while Andrew Nickerson is hitting .284 (38-for-134) and Kyle Henry is batting .239 (25-for-109).
Lipscomb uses several pitchers out of the pen with two pitchers gathering over 20 appearances this season in Chad Fromm (1-5) and Alex Ross (1-3). Fromm has pitched in 21 games this season, gathering one start and holding a 4.40 ERA in 45 innings of work. Fromm has allowed 30 runs this season, 22 earned, while striking out 43 and holding an opponent batting average of .282. Ross has also appeared in 21 games this season, scoring a 9.00 ERA in 37 innings of work. Ross has allowed 45 runs this season, 37 earned, while striking out 30 and allowing opponents to hit .387 against him. Mike Grace has pitched 38 innings this season with a 7.34 ERA, striking out and holding a .327 opponent batting average while Dannie Strable has pitched 35 innings this season with a 7.25 ERA and 23 strikeouts. Josh Cotham and Chris Nunn each have over 10 appearances this season with Cotham holding a 10.57 ERA and Nunn a 17.87 ERA.
