The University of Kentucky baseball team will play host to Southeastern Conference rivalTennessee in a three-game series this weekend at Cliff Hagan Stadium. The Cats andVols will be meeting for the 261st time on Friday evening when the series gets underwayat 6 p.m. EST, in a game that will be televised on College Sports Southeast.
UK (11-11, 2-4 SEC) has won nine of its last 13 games after starting the season 2-7.The Cats picked up a 5-2 win at Austin Peay, the Ohio Valley Conference leader, in theirlast outing Wednesday night.
Spencer Preston continues to lead the Cats at the plate, carrying an average of .362heading into the series with the Vols. Vince Harrison, Gordon Tyler and Caleb Brock arealso batting above the .300 mark. As a team, UK is hitting .274, .10 point higher than itsopponents.
Despite a sub-par performance last weekend, the Cats pitching staff has been thebackbone of the 2001 squad. In 193 2/3 innings this season, Wildcat hurlers have struckout 162 batters and carry an ERA of 4.18.
UT (21-3, 5-1 SEC) is off to its best start in school history. The Vols began the weekranked in all three major college baseball polls: No.11 by Collegiate Baseball, No. 12 inBaseball Weekly/USA Today and No. 16 in Baseball America. The Big Orange have wonthree straight games and 11 of their last 12, including two of three from perennialnational power South Carolina last weekend.
Scott Wade (2-3, 2.25 ERA) is the scheduled starter for the Wildcats on Friday. Wadewill be gunning for his fourth consecutive complete game. In 44 innings this season,Wade has issued only eight bases-on-balls. Brian Gates (3-2, 4.93 ERA) is thescheduled starter for UT.
UK trails UT all-time 126-134 in a series that dates back to 1909. However, the Catshave won five of the last seven meetings with the Vols, including taking two of three lastseason in Knoxville. Neither team has been able to complete a series sweep since UTaccomplished the feat in 1997.
Saturdays and Sundays games will both begin at 2 p.m.
