March 14, 2002

BAT CATS TO OPEN SEC PLAY AT NO. 24 AUBURN

Madison goes for 250th SEC win as UK travels to 24th-ranked Auburn

Kentucky Wildcats (9-8, 0-0 SEC) at No. 24 Auburn Tigers (15-4, 0-0 SEC)
Friday, March 15, 2002 * 6:30 p.m. CT
Hitchcock Field at Plainsman Park (4,096) * Auburn, Ala.

GAME #18: Kentucky at Auburn, Friday, March 15, 6:30 p.m. CT
GAME #19: Kentucky at Auburn, Saturday, March 16, 3 p.m. CT
GAME #20: Kentucky at Auburn, Sunday, March 17, 12:30 p.m. CT

THE COACHES: Keith Madison (Western Kentucky, 1975), now in his 24th season at UK, owns an overall record of 705-574-5 (.551). Needing one SEC victory to reach the 250-win milestone, Madison is 249-338-3 (.425) in league play. Steve Renfroe (Auburn, 1982) is 52-25 overall and 15-15 in SEC play in his second year as head coach of the Auburn Tigers. He has been a part of the AU program for the past 26 years, serving as a player and an assistant coach.

THE SERIES: Meeting for the first time in 1956, UK and Auburn have battled 83 times. The Tigers, owning a 53-30 series lead, have not faced the Cats since May 7-9, 1999 when they took two games out of three at Cliff Hagan Stadium. Keith Madison is 15-21 overall against AU and 8-10 on the Plains.

STREAKS: Auburn has not lost since Feb. 24 when Clemson outscored the Tigers, 6-5, at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson, S.C. AU’s winning streak stands at eight games. Kentucky has taken the past two series openers with Auburn, winning 10-7 at AU on May 1, 1998 and 10-1 at UK on May 7, 1999.

PROBABLE PITCHING ROTATION:

GameStarting PitchersFriday, 3/15Joseph Blanton (RHP), UK 2-1Levale Speigner, (RHP), AU 4-1

Saturday, 3/16Craig Snipp (LHP), UK 1-0Eric Brandon (RHP), AU 2-0

Sunday, 3/17Scott Wade (RHP), UK 3-2Colby Paxton (RHP), AU 4-1