May 13, 2001
Powered by Jeff Keppinger’s two home run, four RBI performance, the Georgia Bulldogs picked up a 10-6 victory over the Kentucky Wildcats on Sunday afternoon at Cliff Hagan Stadium. With the win, the Bulldogs captured the Southeastern Conference regular season championship, took the season series with UK 2-1, and spoiled senior day for three Wildcats.
UGA finished regular season play with an overall record of 40-16, 20-10 in the SEC. UK concluded its season with a record of 22-34, 7-23 in conference action.
UK honored senior team members Jon Hooker, Austin Madison and Beau Moore prior to the start of the game. The 2001 senior class was a part of 111 wins in four years at UK.
The Bulldogs wasted little time getting on the board with two runs in the second inning. With one out, Mark Thornhill connected on a Scott Wade delivery, sending it over the right-center field wall for the games first run. After Jody Pollock reached on an error, Bulldog catcher Tony Burchett singled up the middle, plating Pollock with the Dawgs second run.
Thornhill came calling again with an RBI double in the third inning, increasing UGA’s advantage to 3-0. UK got on the board in the bottom of the third inning when Spencer Preston singled up the middle, scoring Spencer Graeter and cutting the UGA lead to two.
After a scoreless fourth, Keppinger and Doc Brooks hit back-to-back solo homers in the fifth, stretching the Dawgs lead to 5-1.
Keppinger made his presence felt again in the sixth inning with a three-run home run.
UK battled back with five runs in the seventh as Madison led off with a double down the right field line. After Brent Stephens popped up and Graeter struck out, Moore singled to center field, plating Madison for UK’s second run of the game. Vince Harrison then belted his 10th home run of the season over the right-center field wall, cutting UGA’s lead to 8-4. Preston continued the clutch hitting, singling through the left side and bringing Seth Morris to the plate. Morris launched a mammoth two-run home run over the left-center field wall, slicing UGA’s lead to two runs.
However, that would be as close as the Cats would get and UGA would tack on two insurance runs in the ninth to make the final tally, 10-6.
Rob Moravek picked up the win for UGA. Moravek improved to 2-4 on the season. Jeffrey Carswell recorded his first save of the season, tossing two innings of no-hit ball.
Scott Wade suffered the loss for UK. Wade, who went over the 100-inning mark for the season, fell to 4-9 on the campaign.
Moore, Harrison, Preston and Pickrell paced the Wildcats offensive attack with two hits apiece.
