April 17, 2002
For the second straight night, the University of Kentucky baseball team was held to only three hits as it lost to Western Kentucky, 5-1, Wednesday night at Cliff Hagan Stadium. With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 14-22, while the Hilltoppers improve to 26-10 on the season.
Throwing a perfect game through three complete, WKU starter Ryan Bicondoa (6-2) struck out 10 of the first 15 Wildcats to begin the game and ended with 13, one shy of his career high. The senior right-hander entered tonight’s game with a team-high 92 strikeouts, averaging 8.36 strikeouts per game in 11 appearances. Riding the crest of a four-game win streak, Bicondoa has fanned 53 batters in his last four appearances and has recorded three complete games in that span.
The Hilltoppers got to UK starter Craig Snipp (3-3) in the third when Nick Turner doubled down the left field line to score Tanner Townsend who reached on a walk and stole second on a blown pick-off attempt.
WKU tacked on another run in the fourth when Trevor Keesling doubled down the left field line and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Patrick Ransdell. Travis Brown’s grounder to first scored Keesling to go up 2-0. David Lower executed a bunt single successfully and was brought home hone a RBI double to right-center by Tanner Townsend. Ryan Cattell continued the Hilltoppers’ rally when he blasted a Snipp fastball that hugged the right field line but stayed fair for a two-run homer, giving WKU an early 5-0 edge.
Bicondoa ended his bid for a perfect game when he bounced a pitch off Cory Hahn’s helmet allowing the UK third baseman to take first. After plunking Brad Pickrell with two down, Brent Stephens laced a pinch-hit RBI single to right to score Hahn and get the Cats on the board. It would be the only time UK would cross the plate on its intrastate rival.
Andy Baldwin replaced Bicondoa after the Lovelock, Nev. native, tossed seven innings and allowed one run on two hits with no walks and 13 strikeouts. UK got to Baldwin in a hurry when Jesse Barber tagged a leadoff single to right and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Brent Stephens then reached on a walk and both runners advanced on a nubber to the mound by Spencer Graeter. Robert Newton appeared to single up the middle, but a hard-charging Travis Brown fielded the ball and threw to first ending the Cats’ rally.
Three consecutive walks yielded by WKU in final frame loaded the bases but Adam Prida took the mound for WKU and struck out Jesse Barber and Brad Pickrell with the tying run at the plate to earn his first save of the season.
Kentucky gets back to Southeastern Conference action on this weekend when it travels to Athens, Ga. for a three-game series with Georgia. The Cats and Dogs will begin the series on Friday, April 19 at 6 p.m. ET. All games can be heard on WLXO 96.1 FM with Drew Deener on the call.
Western Kentucky001 400 000 - 5 11 0Kentucky000 001 000 - 1 3 1Win: Bicondoa (6-2)Loss: Snipp (3-3)Time: 2:43Attendance: 320
– UK –
