Feb. 15, 2002
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Sparked by two Caleb Stewart home runs and a solid six-inning performance from right-hander Joseph Blanton, the University of Kentucky baseball team opened the 2002 season with a 9-1 victory over Samford at the Birmingham Challenge Tournament in Birmingham, Ala. Friday.
Capped by a four-run second inning, the Wildcats crossed the plate at least once in the first five innings of play and the nine runs scored were the most in a season opener since a 10-8 win over Tampa in 1988.
“I was really pleased how the guys came out and swung the bats aggressively and jumped out on a very good starting pitcher,” Coach Keith Madison said. “It was a good feeling to come out in the first game and play with the confidence we played with today.”
Blanton, striking out five Bulldogs with no walks in six complete innings, earned the win to go 1-0 on the year. Junior right-hander Frank Allen Yeilding, this week’s Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Year for his seven-inning no-hit outing last weekend against VMI, garnered the loss to even his record at 1-1.
“I felt good and I knew our hitters were going to be aggressive and get me some runs,” Blanton said. “At first I tried to get ahead of their hitters and let our fielders do the work, but I got into a groove, starting letting it go and our hitters kept putting runs on the board and that made it easier for me out there.”
Kentucky got things started in the first when junior second baseman Brad Pickrell singled past the shortstop and stole second to get into scoring position. Senior Robert Newton laced a two-out single to right, scoring Pickrell from second. In his first plate appearance as a Wildcat, sophomore Caleb Stewart connected on a Yeilding fastball that landed 10 feet over the left field wall, giving the Cats an early 2-0 lead. Senior Caleb Brock and third baseman Russ Rutherford answered with two consecutive singles and advance to third and second respectively off a Brent Stephens sacrifice bunt. Pickrell took advantage of an RBI opportunity and lined his second hit of the afternoon to left, brining home Brock and Rutherford. Collecting his second stolen base in as many innings, Pickrell was welcomed home from second by a Gordon Tyler double to stretch the Cats’ lead to 5-0.
UK picked up a another run when Seth Morris reached on an error by Iorg and Rutherford flied to left, allowing Morris to cross home and give the Cats a 6-0 lead. After a three-up, three-down SU third, the Wildcats chalked up two more runs in their half of the fourth, highlighted by Newton’s first home run of the season, a solo blast that sailed over the wall to left center.
Stewart led off the top of the fifth and crushed his second home run of the day over the left field fence, putting the Cats up 9-0. Samford answered Stewart’s offensive prowess with a solo shot in its half of the fifth by junior first baseman Heath Owen. It was the only run surrendered by Blanton on the day.
Freshman Craig Snipp saw his first collegiate action, throwing three complete innings with no runs, two hits, no walks and fanning three Bulldog batters.
UK continues play in the Birmingham Challenge Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 16 when it faces Birmingham-Southern at 3 p.m. ET. Junior Scott Wade will take the mound for the Cats, while sophomore Derek Griffith will throw for the Panthers.
Score by InningsR H EKENTUCKY1 4 12 1 00 0 0 -9 11 1SAMFORD 0 0 00 1 00 0 0 – 1 8 2
Win – Blanton (1-0)Loss – Yeilding (1-1)Time – 2:17Attendance: 782
