April 1, 2000
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky pitching staff was roughed up by Ole Miss for 16 hits as the Rebels beat the Wildcats 8-5 on Saturday afternoon in front of 1,046 spectators at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
UK lead off hitter Beau Moore continued his hot hitting by going 4-for-5 with three doubles and two runs scored. Hitting behind Moore, Andy Green extended his career-best hitting streak to 18 games with a single in the first inning. With Green collecting two hits, the top two hitters in the UK line-up were 6-for-8 in the game while the rest of the batting order was just 6-for-26.
The Wildcats (23-6, 4-6 Southeastern Conference) brought the tying run to the plate three times in the bottom of the eighth, but scored just one run when John Wilson was hit by a pitch. Ole Miss’ star reliever Justin Huisman came on after the hit batter and ended the threat by striking out Robert Newton and induced Vince Harrison into an inning-ending double play. Huisman pitched the final two innings, earning his SEC-leading seventh save.
Ole Miss (17-12, 5-5 SEC) opened up a 4-0 lead after four innings off UK starter Scott Wade. In 3-1/3 innings, the second shortest outing of his career, Wade (5-2) allowed eight hits and four runs (three earned). The bottom of the order did a majority of the damage for the Rebels as the seven through nine hitters were 7-for-13 and scored five runs. UM shortstop Lance Jones and second baseman Clint Farrar each went 3-for-5, scored two runs and drove in another.
The Cats narrowed the deficit to 4-3 with a pair of runs in the sixth inning, but were put back in a hole the next half-inning as Ole Miss touched reliever Joseph Blanton for four runs. Burney Hutchinson’s third home run of the series gave the Rebels a 5-3 lead and five more hits in the inning put them ahead 8-3.
Earning the win for the Rebels in his second career SEC start was Brett Young. A freshman right hander, Young (2-0) worked five-plus innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits.
The Wildcats and Rebels conclude their series tomorrow at 2 p.m. EST at Hagan Stadium. For the Wildcats, freshman right hander Mark Michael (3-0, 1.84 ERA) will be making his first career SEC start. Michael will be opposed by Ole Miss right hander Joey Cramblitt (3-4, 4.91 ERA).
The game will be broadcast locally in Lexington on WSAI AM 1580, but will not be available on the UK athletics website due to technical difficulties.
