April 16, 2015

Box Score | Notes | Photo Gallery 

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Zack Brown fired 7.1 shutout innings and Logan Salow retired the final five hitters of the game to post a 5-0 win for Kentucky over Tennessee to open the series, on a perfect Thursday night at Cliff Hagan Stadium.

A native of Seymour, Ind., Brown (3-4) fired a gem in leading the Wildcats to the opener of the series. Brown tossed 7.1 innings, allowing only five hits — four singles — walking four and striking out four. Brown allowed just three hitters to reach scoring position,

Kentucky (20-16, 6-9 Southeastern Conference) jumped out to an early first-inning lead, adding two run-frames in the fifth and seventh innings. Brown dominated throughout, working around a leadoff Andrew Lee double in the second inning and scattering three singles over the final 25 hitters faced.

Brown worked into the eighth inning, exiting with one out after a walk, with Salow coming on in relief. Salow got a nine-pitch fly out and a line out to escape the eighth inning, before striking out the side in the ninth inning to clinch the win. Salow has worked three shutout innings over his last two outings during the week.

Tennessee (15-18, 5-11 SEC) starter Andy Cox (1-2) worked seven innings, allowing eight hits and five runs, walking two and striking out six. Jacob Westphal worked the eighth, working around a bases-loaded, no-out jam.

The Wildcats collected nine hits and five runs in the game, drawing four walks. UK got two-hit games from Evan White, JaVon Shelby and Dorian Hairston, with Kyle Barrett scoring three runs in a 2-for-3 game. UK also got a hit from Zack Arnold, with Connor Heady drawing a walk and scoring a run.

The series will resume on Friday at 6:30 p.m. at Cliff Hagan Stadium. The game will be live on the UK Radio Network, available in Central Kentucky on WLAP 630-AM, in Louisville on WKJK 1080-AM and online at UKathletics.com.

Kentucky got on the board in the bottom of the first inning, as Barrett led off with a single up the middle, taking second on White’s bouncing grounder behind the mound. After the second out, Shelby notched a two-out RBI single through the left side, giving UK an early 1-0 lead.

The Wildcats plated two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to stretch their lead to 3-0. Arnold led off with an infield single in the hole on the left side. After Fettes was plunked by a pitch and Connor Heady struck out, Barrett grounded back to the mound. After retiring Fettes for the force out, the attempt to double off Barrett sailed wide, allowing Arnold to motor home and Barrett to take second. White then ripped a two-out RBI double into the left-centerfield gap, scoring Barrett.

UK stretched its lead to 5-0 with a two-run frame in the seventh inning. Heady drew a two-out walk, scoring when Barrett dropped a double down the opposite-field line. White then smashed a single through the right side, scoring Barrett.