March 30, 1999

Despite a late rally, the Kentucky Wildcats (7-16, 2-7 SEC) could notcatch the Eastern Kentucky Colonels (17-12) and lost their third straightgame, 9-8.

The game started on a sour note as John Wilson hit a line drive to secondbaseman J.D. Bussell who turned it into a triple play, the first such playfor EKU in over 20 years. The Colonels scored four runs on four consecutivehits, including a three-run blast by first baseman Lee Chapman.

Eastern added five runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 9-0lead over Kentucky. The Wildcats did not score until the seventh inning,manufacturing two runs after a lead-off walk to Will Crumbaugh and a singleby Vince Harrison to put men on first and second with no outs. Nate Linderdrove in one run on a fielder’s choice and Beau Moore drove in the otherrun on a pinch-hit single.

A ninth inning rally gave the Cats hope. Harrison led off the inning witha single. Pinch hitter Jason Wolfe singled and Moore belted a three runshot over the right field wall to make the score 9-5. Kentucky’s bats werenot finished as John Wilson hit his ninth home run of the year to bring theWildcats to within one. But Eastern’s lead was insurmountable as fell tothe Colonels, 9-8.

Sophomore John Wilson kept his hitting streak alive with his home runwhile freshman Kyle Hooker has reached base safely in seven consecutive games.

The Wildcats return to action Wednesday, March 31, at 3 p.m., traveling toCincinnati, Ohio, to face the Xavier University Musketeers. Kentucky willplay host to conference foe Georgia this weekend at Cliff Hagan Stadium.