March 13, 2000
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama Crimson Tide hit three home runs in the first four innings off University of Kentucky starter Scott Wade and got a solid start from Jonathan Blankenship to pace the team to a 6-5 victory over the Wildcats, sweeping Saturday’s double header. UK has now lost two straight games after winning its first 15 games of the season.
Alabama (15-5, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) took a 3-0 lead off the UK freshman with home runs by designated hitter Ben King in the second and fourth innings and another by Brent Boyd in the third. Wade (3-1) was removed after the fourth inning, surrendering three runs on seven hits and one walk in the shortest outing of his career.
Kentucky (15-2, 0-2 SEC) looked listless in the early going after the game one heartbreaker, but got things going in the fifth. John Wilson drew a lead off walk, got over to third on a balk and a stolen base and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jason Wolfe.
After ‘Bama recaptured its three-run lead with a run in the bottom of the inning off reliever Aaron Wilson, the Cats cut the lead in half with a run in the sixth. Vince Harrison singled with one out and advanced to second on a wild pitch. After Aaron McGlone walked, John Wilson reached on a fielder’s choice that scored Harrison when the second baseman’s throw sailed wide of first.
The Tide got to Aaron Wilson again in the seventh inning, as the UK hurler walked the lead-off hitter and game one hero Darren Wood before giving up a single to Sam Bozanich, the UA third baseman’s fourth hit of the double header. Wood then scored on a fielder’s choice hit by All-SEC catcher Kelley Gulledge while Bozanich came home on an error by shortstop Jeff Meade, making the score 6-2.
Blankenship (3-1) was cruising heading into the eighth inning having allowed just two runs and two hits, but the Wildcats proved resilient and put three runs on the board in the inning. Meade atoned for his error with a lead-off single up the middle. He moved over to second on an errant pick-off attempt by Blankenship and then on to third when Andy Green dumped a hit, one of his five in the double header, into left field. A double by Aaron McGlone scored both runners, chasing the ‘Bama lefty from the game and bringing in game one winner James Carroll. After a wild pitch moved McGlone over to third and John Wilson walked, pinch-hitter Dax O’Daniel brought the Cats within a run with a sacrifice fly to left-center field. Coming on to prevent any further damage was Jeremy Vaughn who struck out Robert Newton to end the threat and shut out UK in the ninth to earn his first save of the season.
The three home runs were the most allowed by UK in a game this season.
