May 19, 2000
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The University of Kentucky baseball team saw its runin the 2000 Southeastern Conference Baseball Tournament halted by the nation’stop-ranked squad, South Carolina, 12-5 Friday evening at the HooverMetropolitan Stadium.
USC took a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Brennan Deesstarted thescoring with a single to right that scored Nate Janowicz and led to another runas a throwing error by UK right fielder Seth Morris also scored Drew Meyer onthe play. Gamecock Brandon Pack grounded out to first as Dees came home toscore from third to make the score 3-0 and Tripp Kelly capped the scoring forUSC in the inning with a solo homer to left center off UK starting pitcher RobCorrado.
Hot-hitting UK second baseman Andy Green ripped a single to left fieldin the second inning as Morris came across for the Cats’ first run of thecontest.
Robert Newton came through for the Cats in the third with an RBI-singleto left center as UK third baseman Vince Harrison scored from second. Morrisfollowed Newton with an RBI-double to left as a diving USC left fielder NateJanowicz was unable to come up with the ball, allowing Newton to score fromfirst.
After the Cats cruised through the next three innings, USC struck forseven runs in the fifth to push the Gamecocks’ advantage to 11-3. UK added a run in the sixth on shortstop Jeff Meade’s single to centerthat scored Newton from third.
Aaron McGlone singled home John Wilson in the seventh after Wilsonreached on a double off the left field wall, his first hit of the tournament.
Corrado took the loss for the Cats, dropping his record to 5-3 on theseason, while USC reliever Scott Barber earned the win for the Gamecocks.Barber improves to 9-1 on the year.
UK will now have to wait until Monday afternoon when the 64-team fieldfor the NCAA Baseball Tournament is announced to see if their season willcontinue.
R H EUK 0 1 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 5 11 1USC 4 0 0 0 7 0 0 1 x 12 11 0
WP Bascuas, Barber (9-1), Poston and Pack, LP Corrado (5-3), Blanton, Hookerand Wilson.2B Myer (USC), Morris (UK), Janowicz 2 (USC), Dees (USC), Plummer (USC),McBeth (USC), Wilson (UK). HR Kelly (USC).Records UK (38-20-1), USC (52-7).
