April 3, 1998
LEXINGTON, Kty. – Derek Nicholson hit for the cycle with a 5-for-5 day at the plate as 5th-ranked Florida rolled over Kentucky 20-10 at Cliff Hagan Stadium Friday evening on the UK campus. An expected storm in the area delayed the game 30 minutes, but it never developed.
The game featured 33 hits, 30 runs, nine doubles and six home runs. Florida,s 23 hits were the most given up by Kentucky this season. UK (12-18, 3-10) didnit waste any time putting runs on the board, striking for three in the first inning. Andy Green and David Cheatle both drew walks to start the inning and Aaron McGlone followed with a single, loading the bases. Josh Loggins scored Green with a sacrifice fly. Senior Jason Colemire, who leads the SEC with 17 doubles, followed with a two-run double to center field.
Florida quickly answered with seven runs in the second inning thanks to a home run and four doubles. Florida (24-8, 9-3) tied a school record with seven doubles in the contest. UK cut the lead to 7-5 in the second inning with a McGlone two-run bloop single to center field.
The Gators tacked on three runs in the third thanks to a two-run homer by Ty Martin. UK’s Andy Bendix hit his team-leading ninth homer in the third inning to cut the lead to 10-6. UK got as close as it would get the rest of the game in the fifth, 10-8, with a solo homer by Josh Loggins and an RBI groundout by Justin Bunch.
Tim Rowland (1-1) picked up the loss in 1.1 innings. Rowland started in place of Jason Chaney who was pulled 15 minutes before the game because the fear of a long rain delay. Chaney will start Saturday’s game. UK used four pitchers in relief. McGlone led the Wildcats at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored. Colemire extended his hitting streak to nine games.
Florida’s Brad Wilkerson, a Kentucky native, went 2-for-3 with three runs scored and an RBI. Nicholson completed the cycle with a triple in the ninth inning.
Jason Dill, Matt Siegel and Martin also had three hits for the Gators. Right-hander Matt McClendon allowed six hits and eight runs in four innings. Reliever Michael Gray (3-2) got the victory after allowing only four hits and two runs in five innings of work.
The three-game series continues on Saturday at 2 p.m.
