LEXINGTON, Ky. ? After notching the school?s first Southeastern Conference championship last season, the 2007 Kentucky baseball squad sets its sights on defending its title, as head coach John Cohen released the 2007 schedule Monday.
Cohen, the 2006 SEC Coach of the Year, returns 16 lettermen, five starters and welcomes 20 talented newcomers, which comprised the 21st best recruiting class in the nation.
The season begins with the Wildcats facing off with Furman (February 16-18) in a three-game road trip to Greenville, South Carolina. Kentucky returns home to a 20-game home stand featuring non-conference opponents Murray State (Feb. 21), Tennessee Tech (Feb. 23-25), Oakland (Feb. 27), Wisconsin-Milwaukee (March 2-4), Cincinnati (March 7), Xavier (Feb. 28), Cleveland State (March 12), and Canisus (March 13-14).
?We are very excited about the mid-week games we have scheduled and all of them will be a tremendous challenge,? Cohen said. ?There are some schools in the area doing some really good things and making good progress. Louisville with their new coach is going to continue to grow and improve as are programs like Western Kentucky and Cincinnati.?
Kentucky opens SEC play for the second consecutive year at home, beginning the conference slate against Arkansas (March 16-18) before hitting the road to Baton Rouge to square off with the LSU Tigers (March 23-25). The other four conference opponents to step into Cliff Hagan Stadium will be Tennessee (April 3-6), Vanderbilt (April 13-15), Georgia (April 27-29), and Auburn (May 17-19).
?This is the second year that we have been able to open up SEC play at home and there are certainly some advantages and disadvantages to beginning our season at home or on the road,? Cohen said. ?Last year the LSU series was an advantage for us to begin conference play in our surroundings. That series helped us get off on the right foot.?
The Wildcats travel to several perennial conference powers, facing off with Mississippi State (March 30-April 1), Florida (April 20-22), South Carolina (May 4-6), and Ole Miss (May 11-13).
?When you look at the conference this year, I legitimately think that any of the 12 teams could be in Omaha in June,? Cohen said.
Sluggers Sean Coughlin and Collin Cowgill return to anchor the lineup after hitting a combined 33 home runs during the 2006 season. Pitchers Andrew Albers (LHP, Jr.), Brock Baber (RHP, Jr.), Greg Dombrowski (RHP, Jr.), Chris Rusin (LHP, So.), and Dewayne Oxford (RHP, Sr.) all return to lead the Wildcats in defense of the conference title.
Several newcomers look to make an immediate impact on a roster which seeks to replace three infield positions and starting pitchers. Likely candidates to replace SEC Player of the Year Ryan Strieby at first include junior-college transfer Sawyer Carroll and returnees Billy Grace and Matt McKinney.
?We have a roster comprised of 44 guys and only a handful of upperclassmen? Cohen said. ?That means we have more than 30 freshman and sophomores which equals a lot of young talent.?
Mike Brown and freshman Neiko Johnson are likely to anchor second base and transfer Brian Spear and McKinney could all see time at third. Likely to split time with Coughlin behind the plate is junior college transfer Tyler Howe.
The biggest additions to the roster have come in the form of several new and talented arms to the pitching staff. Newcomers Tyler Henry (RHP), Chris Walden (RHP), James Paxton (LHP), Aaron Lovett (RHP) Colby Brown (RHP), and Clint Tilford (RHP) are all likely to contribute to the staff.
?We have really improved the caliber of the arms this offseason,? Cohen detailed. ?The legitimacy of the fastballs we have now and the legitimacy of the breaking ball are much improved. Coach [Gary] Henderson and [Brad] Bohannon did a great job at getting some really good players and improving our pitching staff.?
