Sophomore pitcher Tommy Warner tossed his first career complete game Wednesday to lead the No. 13 Kentucky baseball team to a 9-3 win over Murray State in the opening game of a doubleheader at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
Warner (2-0) struck out five batters in seven innings of work for the Wildcats (31-10, 11-7), allowing seven hits and not allowing an earned run. Murray State (12-29, 5-10 OVC) senior right-hander Matt Scalfani (0-2) was credited with the loss, working two innings and allowing three earned runs
Sophomore center fielder Antone DeJesus led UK going 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored, while junior John Shelby, the reigning SEC Player of the Week, added three RBI.
DeJesus led off the game with a stand-up triple down the right-field line and scored on an RBI single by catcher Sean Couglin two batters later to give Kentucky the early 1-0 advantage.
Murray State answered in the top of the second with catcher Brett Mullins driving in two runs via a single to left-field to give the Breds? a one run lead.
In the bottom of the second, right fielder Collin Cowgill answered the Thoroughbreds, driving in DeJesus for the Wildcats second run of the game with a two-out single through the left side of the infield. First basemen Ryan Strieby continued the second-inning rally, driving in Cowgill with an RBI single to give Kentucky a 3-2 lead.
Murray State reliever West Harris held the Wildcats scoreless for two innings until Shelby drove in Strieby with an opposite field base hit to start a fifth-inning rally. Shelby tore up the base paths in the fifth inning, stealing two bases to set up an RBI single from Billy Grace. Left fielder Shaun Lehman continued the Wildcats fifth-inning rally with a two-out triple, scoring Grace to give Kentucky a 6-2 advantage.
Cowgill led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a home run blast over left field. The round-tripper marked his 10th of the season. Shelby continued the inning with a solo shot over the left-field fence, to stretch the Kentucky lead to 9-2.
Murray State scored one run in the top of the seventh inning to narrow the lead to 9-3.
The nightcap of the twinbill is set to begin at 7 p.m. EDT. The contest will be televised on UPN in Lexington and on Fox Sports in selected markets.
Game Notes
Antone DeJesus hit his eighth career triple to lead of the game. The three-bagger moved him into a tie for fourth all-time in school history.
Collin Cowgill?s home run in the sixth inning marked his 10th on the season. Kentucky now has three players with 10 or more home runs this season, marking the first time Kentucky has had 10 or more home runs from three players since the 1999 campaign.
Second basemen John Shelby hit his 12th home run of the season in the sixth inning, tying him for the team lead with junior Ryan Strieby.
-Sophomore left-hander Tommy Warner earned his first complete game of his career, improving to 2-0 on the season with the win. Warner struck out five Breds? batters, allowing just seven hits.
