May 2, 2000
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Morehead State University baseball team overcame six errors in the first four innings with a five-run ninth inning rally to beat the Kentucky Wildcats, 12-11, on Tuesday night at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
The ninth-inning rally by the Eagles marked the second lead blown by the Wildcat bullpen in the last three games. UK allowed Arkansas to end its 18-game losing streak in conference play on Saturday after holding a 7-2 going into the sixth inning, losing 12-10. The Wildcats (31-16-1) have now lost seven of their last nine games. The loss snapped UK’s 13-game home win streak against non-conference opponents.
UK lost for just the second time this season when out-hitting their opponent as they tallied 12 hits to MSU’s 11. The loss also came despite a season-high seven stolen bases by the Cats. Lead off hitter Andy Green led the way with three steals, giving him a career-high 24 this season. Green’s previous high was 21 last year. John Wilson extended his personal best for steals in a season with his 12th and 13th steals to go with three runs batted in. Aaron McGlone also drove in three by going 3-for-5, including his 7th home run of the season. Breck Price was also 3-for-5 and hit his 4th homer of the year.
Against Morehead (20-26-1), the Wildcats held leads of 1-0, 4-2, 7-4, 8-6 and led 11-7 heading into the top of the ninth, but reliever Jon Hooker allowed a home run to Sam Hoehner, the first man to bat in the inning, and hit two batters around a strikeout, the only out he recorded. After a double by Jason Kennedy plated the two hit batsmen and brought Morehead within 11-10, Hooker was lifted for left hander Breck Price who came in to pitch from right field.
Dan Langham greeted Price (2-2) with a single to center and moved to second on an overthrow by UK center fielder Seth Morris, putting runners on second and third with just one out. Shannon Helton then hit a sacrifice fly to right field that advanced both runners, scoring Kennedy with the tying run. Langham scored the eventual winning run on a passed ball by catcher Jason Wolfe.
Right fielder-turned-pitcher Cam Langham earned the win in relief despite allowing the Cats to extend their lead to 11-6 with three runs in the eighth on McGlone?s three-run homer, just his second against a left-hander this season. Langham (1-0), who entered the game having pitched just two-thirds of an inning this season, tossed 2-1/3 innings and allowed three runs (earned) on two hits, while striking out three and walking only one. Langham retired the Wildcats in order in the ninth.
In a rare mid-week start, Wildcat right-hander Brandon Webb struck out a season-high 11 in just five innings while not walking a single batter for just the second start this season. His downfall came as he hit two men and gave up two home runs among six hits. Webb leads the conference with 18 hit batsmen.
The ninth-inning error by Morris was the third error in three games by a Wildcat center fielder since starter Beau Moore was knocked out of the lineup by a strained shoulder suffered on a play on Saturday. Moore is expected to out for two-to-three weeks.
The Wildcats return to action this weekend as they play host to LSU for a three-game Southeastern Conference series beginning on Friday. The series is the final conference home set for the Cats this season.
