April 25, 2000
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Kentucky baseball team broke a 4-4 tie with a six-run sixth inning on its way to a 13-7 victory over Louisville on Tuesday night at Cardinal Stadium. The win snapped UK’s season-high four game losing skid and gave the Wildcats their first home-and-home series sweep of the Cardinals since 1995. The Wildcats also beat UL at Cliff Hagan Stadium, 10-3, on April 12.
John Wilson led UK’s 14-hit attack with a double, his team leading 16th home run of the season and three runs batted in. Third baseman Vince Harrison was 3-for-5 and Jeff Meade collected two hits and two RBI. Andy Green reached another milestone as he became UK’s all-time runs scored leader by scoring three runs scored, going 1-for-3 with his team-leading 14th double, a base on balls and a hit by pitch. By scoring his 183rd career run, Green passed Jeff Abbott who scored 182 times from 1992-92 and ’94.
In the deciding sixth inning, three base hits, a wild pitch, a hit batter and a costly error on what would have been the third out scored the first three runs. Wilson’s homer, a three run shot, finished the scoring in the frame.
Louisville (14-28-1) starter Sean Green (0-7) took the loss, giving up five runs (earned) on eight hits and two walks over 5-2/3 innings. UK reliever Josh Paxton (3-2) entered in the fourth inning and pitched 3-1/3 innings, surrendering three runs (earned) on five hits and a walk to pick up the victory. Mark Michael started for the Cats, allowing four runs (earned) on five hits in three innings.
Kentucky pushed home a run in the first on a ground out by first baseman Aaron McGlone, scoring Green who had walked to open the game. Louisville answered in the bottom of the second when designated hitter Kyle Rajsich’s ground out scored right fielder Paul Brown, who tripled to left center to lead off the frame, tying the game at 1-1.
The Cards pushed three runs across in the third on a passed ball and RBI singles by left fielder Troy Hilpp and Brown to take a 4-1 lead, but the Wildcats closed the gap to 4-3 with two runs on three hits in the top of the fourth. Wilson led off with a double and scored on a single by Robert Newton who was plated on a sacrifice fly by catcher Jason Wolfe. The Cats tied things up in the fifth when Green doubled off the right field wall, stole third and scored on a throwing error by catcher Tony Taylor, leading to the fateful sixth.
The Cards plated three in the seventh to narrow the lead to 10-7, but the Cats held them off with an insurance homer by center fielder Beau Moore in the eighth and two more runs in the ninth.
