LEXINGTON, Ky. — Senior right-fielder Sawyer Carroll boosted his fourth home run of the week – the fifth of his season – adding a triple and a single as part of a 3-for-4, three-RBI day, to lead the No. 17 Kentucky baseball team to a 12-4 drubbing of the Butler Bulldogs, on Sunday afternoon at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
With the win, Kentucky improves to 9-0 on the season, sweeping the four-game set with the Bulldogs by a combined score of 63-7. UK, which has totaled double-figure runs in each game this season, has outscored its opposition by 100 runs just nine games deep into 2008, by a combined score of 121-21. UK?s offensive juggernaut is outscoring its opponents by an average of 11.1 runs per game, while hitting for a .376 (118-for-314) average.
Carroll capped off a monster six games, batting .667 (14-for-21) during UK?s 6-0 week. One of three members of the UK club on the Brooks Wallace National Player of the Year Watch List, Carroll led the Southeastern Conference in doubles in 2007. During the week, Carroll reached on three two-baggers, one triple, and four home runs, driving in a staggering 17 RBI, walking six times and stealing two bases. For the year, Carroll leads the team with a .600 (18-for-30) average, ripping five doubles, one triple, five homers, and 23 RBI, drawing 10 walks. In 2007, Carroll blasted just three homers, needing 29 games to hit his first home run as a Wildcat. With 25 pounds of added muscle in the offseason, Carroll?s power numbers have become astounding, slugging for a 1.333 percentage. – while playing the field at a high level, despite a new defensive home, right field.
Second baseman Ryan Wilkes got his first three-hit game of the season to complement Carroll?s three-hits, finishing a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBI. Senior first baseman Brian Spear and preseason All-American Collin Cowgill each charted multi-hit games, with Cowgill finishing the day 2-for-4, with three runs scored, one RBI, a walk, and two steals. Cowgill, who redshirted as a junior in 2007 due to an injury, is now batting .412 (14-for-34) with a club-high 17 runs scored, two doubles, a triple, and three homers, driving in 13 RBI and stealing a squad-best 7-of-7 bags. Spear boosted his first home run of the season, the sixth of his career – a towering bomb over the monster in right field.
Keenan Wiley, Troy Frazier, Marcus Nidiffer and Chris Wade all notched hits, with Nidiffer blasting his first career home run to complement three RBI.
On the bump, UK pitchers continued to dominate, as senior starter Greg Dombrowski worked five scoreless innings, allowing three hits and striking out five for his second win of the season. In 25 innings pitched by starters during UK?s four-game sweep of Butler, only one run was allowed, a solo home run given up by UK senior lefty Andrew Albers in game two of a twin bill Saturday.
UK utilized four pitchers to close out the game, with Tommy Warner, Clint Tilford, Brock Baber and Tyler Howe working the final four frames of the contest.
With one of the more dominant pitching staffs in college baseball, Kentucky has posted a 1.82 team ERA in 79 innings, striking out 90, walking only 11 and allowing opponents to hit for a .197 average.
Kentucky returns to action on Wednesday with a crucial non-conference tilt with the Evansville Purple Aces. Last season, UK lost on a walk-off hit to Evansville ? one of just three non-conference losses during the 34-win year. First pitch at Cliff Hagan Stadium is slated for 4 p.m. ET, and fans can catch all the action live on the Big Blue Sports Network (radio).
Butler starter Matt Sokolowski took the loss, lasting just 4 1/3 innings, allowing seven hits, seven runs and walking two. Ben Trimbur and Evan DePotter combined to finish the game allowing a combined five runs.
After a scoreless opening inning, UK got on the board first in the bottom of the second, plating two runs on two hits. Frazier led off with a single and Wilkes, UK?s season and career record holder for sacrifice bunts, moved Frazier to second with a sacrifice – his third of the year. Nidiffer, getting his fourth career start behind the dish, broke the scoreless tie, boosting a one-strike offering into left field for his first career home run.
In the third, UK got three more runs, beginning when Spear worked a one-out walk and stole second base. Cowgill drove in Spear with his second double of the season, a shot down the left-field line. Carroll cleared Cowgill of the bags with his first triple of the season and the third of his career, landing off the wall in right-center field. Wilkes scored Carroll with a high, sacrifice fly foul-out down the right-field line.
In the fifth, UK got three more runs on the board, with Cowgill getting things started with a single to left field and Carroll followed with a single of his own to center field. Frazier got plunked by a pitch, loading the bases for Wilkes. The senior switch hitter belted a single into left field for the first run of the inning, scoring Cowgill. Nidiffer lofted a sacrifice fly to score the second run and Wade notched a single up the middle, allowing Carroll to touch home.
Butler (0-4) got on the board in the sixth inning, roughing up Warner, who was the first out of the pen in relief of Dombrowski. Kyle Schultz singled to lead off the inning and Nate Hart followed with a single of his own. After a groundout allowed the runners to advance to scoring position, Grant Fillipitch netted a two-RBI single up the middle. Ryan Neat drew a walk, and shortstop Joe Pauley drove in a run with a single to right field. With the bags full, catcher Michael Letzter drew a walk, forcing in Butler?s final run of the game.
UK answered in its half of the sixth, pushing across two more runs. Spear singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Carroll belted his fifth homer of the season, a no-doubt shot over the 30-foot high monster in right field.
The Wildcats tacked on its final two runs of the game with two hits in the eighth, beginning with Spear?s solo shot over the monster in right. Cowgill drew a walk, stole second and third, and Carroll followed with a base on balls. Wilkes came through with a single up the middle, scoring Cowgill.
