A battle for baseball bragging rights in the Bluegrass state will get underway on Tuesday, April 10, when the University of Kentuckyplays host to the Louisville Cardinals at 6 p.m., at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
UK (14-20) will be looking to break a three-game slide when the Cardinals visit Lexington. The Cats dropped three heartbreakingone-run decisions to the University of Florida this past weekend in Gainesville.
The Wildcats are unbeaten in six non-conference games at home this season, including a 23-2 trouncing of Tennessee Tech lastWednesday.
Wildcat veterans Vince Harrison and Seth Morris will look to add to the impressive numbers they put up in two games last seasonagainst the Cards. Harrison hit .556 (5-for-9) against U of L pitching while Morris batted at a .400 clip.
Sophomore Gordon Tyler is the Wildcats leading hitter with a .339 average. Tyler has been the Cats hottest hitter as of late, batting.583 (7-for-12) with a home run and two RBI last weekend. Caleb Brock, Spencer Preston, Morgan Embry, Brad Pickrell andHarrison also carry batting averages above .300.
U of L enters Tuesdays game with an overall record of 20-18. Like the Wildcats, the Cardinals were swept in a conference serieslast weekend on the road. The Cards are led by senior centerfielder Mike Hook, who leads the squad with a .385 batting average, a.482 on-base-percentage, and 22 steals. In addition to Hook, three other players are batting above the .300 plateau.
UK leads the all-time series with U of L by a 51-28-1 margin. Current Wildcat coach Keith Madison has enjoyed success againstthe rival Cards, going 30-11 in 41 previous meetings. The Cats took both contests last season, winning 13-7 at Louisville and 10-3 inLexington.
