May 9, 2000
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky baseball team won its second consecutive game, beating Western Kentucky, 3-1, Tuesday night at Cliff Hagan Stadium. Freshman right-hander Mark Michael picked up the win for the Wildcats, his first in over a month, as he allowed one run in seven innings, limiting the Hilltoppers to five singles. Michael walked two and struck out two in the second longest outing of his career.
Michael (5-2) allowed the lone Topper run in the first inning. Matt Fox led off the game with a walk, and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by pitcher Brian Houdek. After a flyout to left, junior Tim Cleland singled to center to bring in Fox.
In a game in which just one hitter from each team tallied more than one hit, Houdek (1-4), a junior right-hander, took the loss for the Hilltoppers despite allowing just two runs (one earned) on four hits in six innings. Cleland led the Hilltoppers at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a run batted in while shortstop Jeff Meade paced the Cats with his seventh multi-hit game in the last 11 contests, going 3-for-4 and scoring two runs.
The Wildcats (33-18-1) tied the game in the bottom of the first by manufacturing a run on just one base hit. With one out, Meade reached on an infield single, before Aaron McGlone and John Wilson walked behind him to load the bases. Robert Newton was retired on a chopper between the mound and the first base line, but Meade came home with the tying run.
Western (22-30) lost the lead for good the next inning as the Cats scored again to take a 2-1 lead. With two outs, Beau Moore reached on a drag bunt. He moved to second on a throwing error by Houdek on a failed pickoff attempt, and moved to third on a wild pitch. Houdek then walked Andy Green, putting runners at first and third. Meade followed the walk with his second single of the game, scoring Moore.
UK added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth as Meade led off the inning with a single to right, and stole second. He moved to third on a ground out to the pitcher by McGlone, and scored on a passed ball.
Freshman right-hander Joseph Blanton pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth innings, allowing just one hit and striking out four, to pick up his second save of the season for the Cats.
The Wildcats return to action tomorrow night against Ohio University (28-19-1) as UK plays its final home game of the 2000 baseball season before closing the regular season this weekend at Southeastern Conference rival Vanderbilt. First pitch on Wednesday is scheduled for 6 p.m. EDT against the Bobcats, a team that UK has beaten five times in seven meetings since Keith Madison began coaching at UK in 1979.
