Preston belts two homers and drives in seven
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – In his first start as a Kentucky Wildcat, SpencerPreston went 4-for-5, belted two home runs and collected seven RBI as theUniversity of Kentucky baseball team defeated Wofford College, 15-11, forits first win of the 2001 season.
The Wildcats, whose game yesterday against Furman was suspended due todarkness, found their hitting stroke Saturday afternoon as they tallied 14hits, five going for extra-bases. UK Coach Keith Madison was pleased withhis team’s offensive output.
“I am very proud of our hitters today because they kept responding andscoring runs,” Madison said. “I think our players were pressing a littlebit yesterday. Today, they looked a lot more loose and I think it made adifference.”
UK (1-0) wasted little time getting on the board, jumping on Woffordstarter George Lehr in the first, scoring four runs. Beau Moore led off thegame with a double into the center field gap and Taylor McInnis followedwith a two-run homer to left, giving the Cats a 2-0 lead. Vince Harrisonwalked, then advanced to second on a bunt hit by Seth Morris. With onebatter out, Preston lined a single into right field, scoring Harrison.First baseman Gordon Tyler continued the hit parade with a RBI single,giving Cat hurler Rob Corrado a 4-0 lead before even taking the mound.
Corrado breezed through the first three innings, giving up only onerun on three hits, before running into trouble in the fourth. With UKleading 6-1, Wofford’s bats came alive, collecting four hits en route toscoring six runs and chasing Corrado from the game. Freshman Cory Hahn wascalled upon to put out the fire. By the time Hahn caught Wofford firstbaseman Blake Timanus looking at a third strike, the Terriers had scoredeight runs, all charged to Corrado, and taken an 9-6 lead.
However, UK didn’t trail for very long. After Seth Morris walked tostart the fifth, Preston stepped to the plate and smacked a mammoth homerun to left. With two out and runners on second and third, McInnis andHarrison each drove home a run with RBI singles, regaining the lead for theWildcats.
Hahn continued to hold the Terriers at bay, not allowing an earned runin 3.1 innings of work. UK would tack on two runs in the sixth beforePreston would come calling again in the seventh. With two on and two out,Preston hit a hooking line drive around the left field foul pole for athree run homer, his second of the day.
“I got off to a really good start today,” Preston said. “I am swinginga good bat right now and getting a hit in my first at bat gave me a lot ofconfidence.”
Wofford (1-3) would add a runs in the eight and ninth, but that was asmuch as the UK bullpen would yield, making the final 15-11.
Hahn (1-0) picked up the win, the first of his collegiate career,allowing only three hits and no earned runs in 3.1 innings while strikingout five. Jason Lynch absorbed the loss for Wofford.
The Wildcats will be back in action Sunday, Feb. 11, at 12 p.m., whenthey travel to Greenville, S.C., to resume their game with FurmanUniversity from Friday evening. The game will be resumed with the scoretied 3-3 in the top of the 11th and Kentucky batting. Following theconclusion of that contest, Kentucky and Furman will play a second game.
Mark Michael is scheduled to start for the Wildcats tomorrow. Thestarted for Furman has yet to be determined.
Score by innings: R H EKentucky 411 042 300 - 15 14 2Wofford 010 800 011 - 11 13 3WP - Hahn (1-0)LP - Lynch Homeruns: McInnis (1), Preston (1,2)
