March 31, 2009
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Led by a first inning, two-run single from junior Gunner Glad and five scoreless innings by starting sophomore southpaw Mike Kaczmarek, the Kentucky Wildcats secured a 2-0 non-conference home win against Marshall, on Tuesday night at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
Glad, a junior first baseman, hit a rope into right center field which proved to be the difference maker in the game as neither team posted runs after the first inning. The Tulsa, Okla., native, is coming off a career game against No. 28 South Carolina Saturday, belting three home runs in a 3-for-4, five runs scored, five RBI game. On the season, the Kentucky first baseman is hitting .407 with four homers and 24 RBI.
Kentucky (17-9, 4-5 Southeastern Conference) used a great pitching performance from Kaczmarek who tossed a career-high five scoreless innings, giving up one hit and striking out a career-best five. Kaczmarek was replaced on the mound by junior Tyler Henry, who threw 1.2 innings for the Wildcats allowing only two hits and posting one strikeout. Kentucky turned to freshman Braden Kapteyn to take over in the seventh inning and the Lansing, Ill., native shut the door on the Thundering Herd allowing no hits and no run, while striking out two in 2.1 innings of work, picking up his club-high third save of the year.
The Wildcats will return to action on Wednesday when they will play a make-up game with Wright State with first pitch at 6 pm ET. The action can be heard 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.
Kentucky got on the board early, putting up two runs on one hit in the first inning. Chris Bisson, who had his career-high 15 game hitting streak snapped, started the game with a groundout, and after Wade struck out but reached on a third strike wild pitch, Chris McClendon walked. Both runners advanced a base on a double steal, putting runners on second and third with two outs and Glad up. Glad plated Kentucky’s two runs in the inning with a deep single to right center field, giving the Wildcats a two run lead going to the second inning.
UK got a great defensive effort in the second inning when Marshall had Victor Gomez at third with two outs. Brandon Casamassima then hit a soft liner to left fielder Chad Wright who caught the ball and threw a strike to home plate to catch Gomez trying to score for the third out of the inning.
Marshall (11-15) pitcher Shane Farrell, a sophomore righty and son of Boston Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell, worked out of a jam in the third inning when Wade started the inning with a rope down the left field line for his fifth double of the year. McClendon then reached on an error by the shortstop Kenny Socorro, putting runners on first and third. After a Nidiffer strikeout, Farrell then got Glad and Spencer Korus to pop out to Socorro to end the inning.
The Thundering Herd loaded the bases in the sixth inning when Henry replaced Kaczmarek and loaded the bases with two walks and a bunt single. With the bases loaded and two outs, Henry got Marshall’s clean-up hitter Gomez to ground a slow roller back to the mound for the third out of the inning.
Kentucky got out of another bases loaded jam in the seventh inning when Henry gave up a one out double to Casamassima, later walking Rhett Stafford to put runners on first and second. UK then turned to the bullpen and Kapteyn to end the inning. Kapteyn walked the first batter he saw in Socorro on a 3-2 offering, but got out of the inning for good when Adam Yeager grounded out to first base.
