LEXINGTON, Ky. — The No. 11 Kentucky baseball team returns home after two weekend Southeastern Conference road trips, to play host to the Western Carolina Catamounts, on Tuesday evening at Cliff Hagan Stadium. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. EDT.
The Wildcats (24-4-1, 4-4-1, SEC) are coming off a series defeat at the hands of Mississippi State in Starkville. The Bulldogs took the rubber match between the two clubs on getaway day, courtesy of a two-out, ninth inning walk-off single. Kentucky had defeated MSU 10-6 on Saturday to force the rubber game, after blowing a four-run lead in the seventh inning in Friday?s contest.
Kentucky has been paced by several offensive standouts, including seniors Mike Brown and Sean Coughlin. Brown, leads the club in batting average, reaching at a .459 clip. The Davis, Calif. native, also ranks first on the team in on-base percentage (.577) and runs scored (42). Coughlin, a backstop from Morrison, Colo., is tied for the NCAA lead in RBI, driving in 48. Coughlin is batting for a .373 average, ripping five home runs, and connecting on 13 two baggers.
Sawyer Carroll and Brian Spear are two juniors who have quickly established themselves as stalwarts in the lineup, with Spear ranking second on the team in batting average, with a .398 mark. Carroll, leads the club in doubles (15), and walks (27). Carroll ripped his first home run of the season on Sunday at Mississippi State, a no-doubt shot well over the right-field fence that tied the game at two. On the season, Carroll ranks second in RBI, driving in 36.
Western Carolina (17-11, 3-3 SoCon) will mark a significant challenge for the UK squad, as the Catamounts have scored three upset wins over top-20 teams this season. WCU has defeated No. 14 Georgia Tech (10-7), No. 20 NC State (6-5), and No. 6 Clemson (6-3) thus far this season, also taking a tough loss to No. 12 Pepperdine, 3-1. The Catamounts have also defeated UK?s SEC brethren Georgia 3-1 on March 13.
The Wildcats have won 19 consecutive mid-week games and 31 of its last 33 regular season contests at Cliff Hagan Stadium. UK has not lost a non-conference contest this season.
Fans in Lexington can catch the action live on WLAP 630-AM, with Neil Price on the call.
Tuesday?s contest marks another installment of UK?s 2-fer-Tuesday promotion. Fans can buy a game ticket and get another ticket for free, by mentioning the promotion at the ticket booth.
TEAM RECORDS
No. 11 Kentucky (24-4-1, 4-4-1 SEC) vs. Western Carolina (17-11, 3-3 SoCon)
DATES/TIMES
Tuesday, April 2, 2007/6:30 p.m. EDT
STADIUM
Cliff Hagan Stadium (3,000)
KENTUCKY IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
No. 11 by Collegiate Baseball
No. 20 by USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll
No. 24 by Baseball America
RADIO (Big Blue Sports Network with Neil Price)
Tuesday: WLAP 630-AM
SERIES RECORD
Western Carolina leads 1-0 ? Kentucky dropped the home contest in 1998, 5-6.
GAME PROMOTIONS
Buy any single game ticket and get another single game admission free. Please mention at the ticket booth when ordering.
PITCHING MATCHUPS
UK ? TBA WCU ? TBA
