LEXINGTON ? The 13th-ranked Kentucky baseball team looks to extend its five-game winning streak when it hosts intra-state rival Murray State in a twin-bill set for Wednesday at 4 p.m. at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
The first game is set for seven innings and the second game is slated for nine innings. The second game will be broadcast live by the Big Blue Sports Network. It can be seen in Lexington on UPN as well as in selected markets on FSN South.
Kentucky is riding a high of momentum after a sweep of seventh-ranked South Carolina over the weekend. The victories earned UK the honor of being named the National Team of the Week as well as moving the team into a tie for first place in the Southeastern Conference Eastern Division.
Junior second-basemen John Shelby, the reigning SEC Player of the Week, leads Kentucky into the series. He batted .471 with two home runs and four doubles while driving in seven runs during the Wildcats four wins last week. He also hit a game-winning walk-off home run to beat the Gamecocks in the 11th inning on Friday.
Neither team has named a starting pitcher for either of the two games. Kentucky is expected to use a number of pitchers after using 11 different hurlers in the USC series.
Murray State enters the game with Kentucky with a 12-28 record. The Thoroughbreds are coming off a 14-2 victory over Morehead State. Last season, Kentucky beat the MSU 8-1 to earn its fourth consecutive victory in the series.
Records
Kentucky ? 30-10, 11-7 SEC
Murray State ? 12-28, 5-10 Ohio Valley
Rankings
Kentucky ? No. 13 Baseball America
Murray State – not ranked
Schedule (times Eastern)
Lexington, Ky. (Cliff Hagan Stadium ? 3,000)
Wednesday, April 25 vs. Murray State * 4 p.m. (7 innings)
Wednesday, April 25 vs. Murray State * 7 p.m.
Radio
WXRA 1580-AM in Lexington
Television
Game Two – Big Blue Sports Network (UPN in Lexington and FSN in selected markets)
Pitching Match-Ups
Game One vs. Murray State
TBA
Game Two vs. Murray State
TBA
Projected UK Line-Up (Avg-HR-RBI)
C (L) Sean Coughlin (.320-9-35)
-or- (R) Justin Scutchfield (.225-0-7)
1B (R) Ryan Strieby (.351-12-54)
2B (R) John Shelby (.262-11-39)
3B (L) Michael Bertram (.341-4-28)
-or- (R) Matt McKinney (.304-2-13)
SS (S) Ryan Wilkes (.267-1-16)
LF (R) Shaun Lehmann (.229-6-20)
CF (L) Antone DeJesus (.352-2-23)
RF (R) Collin Cowgill (.314-9-36)
DH (L) Billy Grace (.288-5-24)
Quick Notes ? At No. 13 in the latest Baseball America poll, Kentucky has earned its highest ranking in school history. The Wildcats have been ranked each of the past six weeks.
? Riding a five-game win streak, Kentucky has vaulted into first-place tie in the SEC Eastern Division. UK is tied with South Carolina and one game ahead of this weekend?s opponent, Vanderbilt.
? Of the 14 main statistical categories, Kentucky leads the SEC in eight, including runs per game at 8.6 per game. The Wildcats are also first in on-base percentage, slugging, RBIs, home runs, doubles and walks.
? Kentucky has been named the CollegeBaseballInsider.com Team of the Week after a 4-0 week that included a sweep of No. 7 South Carolina and a win over rival Louisville.
? John Shelby is the reigning SEC Player of the Week after hitting two home runs, three doubles and driving in seven in Kentucky?s sweep of No. 7 South Carolina. It is the fifth Player of the Week honor for UK this year, an SEC record.
? First baseman Ryan Strieby is the only players in the SEC to rank in the top 10 in the league in each of the traditional triple-crown categories of batting average (10th), home runs (4th) and RBIs (2nd). He also leads the SEC in doubles with 17 and is second in runs scored and third in slugging and on-base percentage.
? Center fielder Antone DeJesus has been the best leadoff hitter in the SEC this year. He has posted a .464 on-base percentage, which is tops in the SEC among leadoff men and fifth overall. That has translated into him scoring a league-high 46 runs.
? Third baseman Michael Bertram is riding a 10-game hitting streak.
? Sophomore pitcher Greg Dombrowski has been added to the watch list for the Roger Clemens Award, which is given to the nation?s top collegiate pitcher.
