March 26, 2000
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – University of Kentucky center fielder Beau Moore’s tenth-inning double down the left field line drove in the go-ahead run as the Wildcats came from behind to beat the Tennessee Volunteers, 7-5, in the opening game of their Southeastern Conference series.
Kentucky (20-4, 2-4 SEC) trailed 3-1 after six innings, but took the lead with four runs in the seventh as Andy Green, Aaron McGlone and Vince Harrison all smacked two-out, run scoring doubles. All four runs in the inning off UT starter Jaime Bennett, the current SEC Pitcher of the Week, were unearned. Green’s RBI double extended his hitting streak to 13 games, tying his career-high and the UK season-high.
Bennett, who allowed five runs (one earned) on nine hits and a season-high five walks in 8-1/3 innings pitched, was out-dueled by UK starter Brandon Webb. Webb (5-0) pitched into the 10th inning, allowing five runs (earned) on nine hits and tying a season-high with nine strikeouts while walking just one.
Tennessee (23-7, 3-3 SEC) pushed the game to extra frames by rallying for two runs in the eighth to tie the game, 5-5, on just one hit. After a single, a walk and a passed ball, the Vols drew square with the Cats on a wild pitch and a squeeze bunt before Webb ended the UT threat by inducing a fly-out to center.
With UT reliever Brandon Crowe on the hill, a one-out walk to Robert Newton in the tenth preceded Moore’s second late inning heroics in the last three games. Against Mississippi State on March 18, Moore tied the game at 6-6 with a two-out, three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth. Moore, who entered the game in the eighth inning as a defensive replacement, won last year’s series-opener against Tennessee 15-12 with a grand slam. After battling Crowe (1-1) for several pitches, Moore poked a double down the right field line to put the Cats in the lead for good. One batter later Jeff Meade singled through the right side to add an insurance run.
In the bottom of the tenth, the Vols loaded the bases before John Hooker came on to strike out Ryan Case to end the game, earning his second save of the season.
Four Wildcats had multi-hit games as Meade, Austin Madison, Seth Morris and Green each collected a pair of safeties. Meade also drove in UK’s first run of the game, cutting UT’s lead in half, 2-1, with an RBI double in the fifth inning.
The Wildcats and Volunteers will meet at Lindsey Nelson Stadium tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m. EST for the second game of the series. Freshman Scott Wade (5-1) will start for the Cats and will be opposed by right hander Brian Gates (4-1). First pitch is slated for 4:15 on the Fox Sports South broadcast. Kentucky is 1-0 in televised games this season.
