LEXINGTON ? Kentucky?s offense exploded for a season-high 20 runs on 19 hits en route to a 20-3 drubbing of Cleveland State on Wednesday afternoon at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
The win pushes UK?s season-best win streak to six games as it heads into Southeastern Conference play this weekend. The Wildcats, currently 15-3, are off to their second best start in the 102-year history of Kentucky baseball, bettered only by the 16-2 start by the 2000 team that finished 38-20-1.
The Wildcats will put their success to the test this weekend when five-time national champion and eighth-ranked LSU comes to town for a three-game set. The series opens at 6:30 p.m. on Friday with game two slated for Saturday at 1 p.m. The series finale is at Noon on Sunday.
For the second time in as many games, UK?s offensive juggernaut scored early and often en route to a huge victory. On Tuesday, the Wildcats posted a 15-2 win. It is the first time Kentucky has scored at least 15 runs against the same team in back-to-back games in 30 years. Prior to that, it hadn?t happened since 1903.
?I really like where our club is right now heading into SEC play,? Kentucky coach John Cohen said. ?We?re really seeing the ball well and taking good swings. The pitching staff has been tremendous and (pitching) coach (Gary) Henderson has done an excellent job with everybody. I think we?re ready to go this weekend and give it everything we have.?
For the ninth time in 18 games, Antone DeJesus got UK started with a walk to leadoff the game. Overall, the Wildcats leadoff man has a .667 on-base percentage this year. Collin Cowgill quickly moved DeJesus to third with a double down the line. The runs came home on back-to-back RBI groundouts by Ryan Strieby and Sean Coughlin.
John Shelby later scored in the inning on an error to make it 3-2. The Wildcats stranded two runners in the second before tacking another three-spot on the board in the third. An RBI single by Ryan Wilkes and a two-run single by Justin Scutchfield did the damage.
Kentucky repeated itself by leaving two on base in the fourth and scoring three more in the fifth. DeJesus had the first of his two sacrifice flies before Shelby roped a two-run double to make it 9-2.
In the sixth, the Wildcats stranded two more men before breaking the game wide open with a five-run seventh and six-run eighth. The big blow was a grand slam by DeJesus, which Steve Deaton followed up with a laser over the wall in left center field for his second career home run.
?These are the opportunities to get a lot of people involved,? Cohen said. ?Steve Deaton stepped up there and hits a rocket over the fence. It really helps team chemistry when everybody is chipping in and contributing. It is a lot of fun for our club, it is really a good segue into tough SEC play this weekend.?
DeJesus had just one hit but finished with a career high 6 RBIs. He also scored two runs and has now scored in 15 of 18 games. His home run snapped an 0-for-17 slump that ended his 19-game hitting streak.
Matt McKinney was the leading hitter with three base knocks, bringing his season average to .519. Meanwhile, Shelby, a preseason All-American who started the year slowly, seems to be the back to his usual self. He was 1-for-2 and scored four runs Wednesday and is 3-for-4 with two home runs, a double, eight RBIs and seven runs scored in his last two outings.
On the mound, Kentucky used six pitchers with Matt Robinson earning his first win of the year. He entered in the third and worked 3 2/3 innings, allowing one hit and striking out six.
?Matt has a lot of confidence and it is great to see him have some success here,? Cohen said. ?He really works hard in practice and he had a great summer also so we are pleased that he was able to come out and do what he did today.?
Notes: Kentucky won its fifth in a row, its longest streak since winning eight straight last season ? The Wildcats are 15-3, their second best start in the 102-year history of UK baseball ? The Wildcats scored 15 or more runs against a team in back-to-back games for the first time in 30 years and second since 1903 ? Antone DeJesus hit his first career grand slam ? DeJesus had a career-high six RBIs ? Kentucky tied a season high by drawing 13 walks ? Matt McKinney had his third three-hit game and has five multi-hit games this year ? McKinney extended his hitting streak to six ? Justin Scutchfield had his second three-hit game of the season ? Ryan Strieby extended his hitting streak to six and has reached safely in all 18 games ? Matt Robinson picked up his first win of the season.
