LEXINGTON ? Left-hander Craig Snipp shut down eighth-ranked LSU for 8 1/3 innings while Billy Grace and Ryan Strieby each drove in two to lead Kentucky to a 6-2 victory over the Fighting Tigers on Saturday at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
With the win, UK (16-3) clinches a series victory over LSU (16-5) for the first time since 1994. Having won eight straight and 11 of their last 12, the Wildcats go for a series sweep on Sunday at Noon. LSU had won 11 consecutive series prior to this weekend.
The Wildcats send sophomore right-hander Greg Dombrowski (4-0, 1.29) to the hill in the series finale. The Tigers starter is still up in the air. Derik Olvey, who was supposed to start Saturday, is fighting illness and could start. If not, Daniel Ferrer will get the nod.
?This is big for our program and our players are so excited about what?s going on right now,? Kentucky head coach John Cohen said. ?We?re going to come out tomorrow and play as hard as we can and focus in. This is a chance to sweep a very good baseball team, but I know LSU will be ready tomorrow.
Snipp controlled the game from the opening pitch to improve to 4-0 on the season. He gave up just four hits while allowing three runs, walking two and striking out six. Brock Baber closed out the final two hitters to earn his third save this year. He now has nine saves for his career, which moves him into sole possession of sixth place in school history.
?Craig is not going to overpower anybody, but he did what we needed and that is to work at least seven innings,? Cohen said. ?He threw close to 120 pitches, and we felt like he was very comfortable in his delivery. Craig is the story of the game.?
LSU got on the board first by manufacturing a run in the third. Will Harris was hit by a pitch, sacrificed to second and took third on a wild pitch. He came home on a Michael Hollander sacrifice fly.
Kentucky took the lead for good in the fourth with a pair of home runs. Billy Grace tied the game with a leadoff shot and Sean Coughlin followed with a solo shot one out later. Coughlin?s was his team-high sixth of the year.
The Wildcats broke the game open with a three run fifth. Ryan Wilkes led off with a double and took third on a wild pitch. After Collin Cowgill walked Billy Grace beat out a two-out infield single to make it 3-1. The two executed a double steal before Ryan Strieby singled home Cowgill. Grace scored on the next play on an error by first baseman Steven Waguespack.
?We didn?t swing it great day, but we did enough,? Cohen said. ?You can?t always rely on offense, but you can rely on pitching and defense and we got it done today.?
LSU starter Louis Coleman was chased after the fifth and took the loss. He dropped to 2-1 after giving up five runs on seven hits.
Kentucky?s final run came in the seventh when Antone DeJesus doubled and later scored on a sac fly by Strieby.
Michael Hollander homered in the sixth before Snipp retired 10 straight entering the ninth. With one out, LSU put three straight runners on when Baber entered. He gave up a run-scoring single to Jordan Mayer, but got a pop up and ground out to leave the bases loaded.
Notes: Kentucky clinched the series victory, its first since beating Arkansas 2-of-3 last year ? It is the second time in three years under John Cohen the Wildcats have won their first SEC series ? Kentucky clinched a series victory over LSU for the first time since 1994 ? Ryan Strieby singled to extend his hitting streak to eight games ? Strieby has reached safely in all 20 games this season ? Craig Snipp posted his fourth quality start in as many outings ? Billy Grace as homered in each of his last two starts ? Brock Baber recorded his ninth career save, moving him into sole possession of sixth place in UK history ? Kentucky walked just two batters and has issued three free passes this series ? The Wildcats did not have an error for the third time in four games.
