March 21, 2002
The University of Kentucky baseball team will open its new $4.2 million Cliff Hagan Stadium on Friday, March 22 when it plays host to Mississippi State in a three-game Southeastern Conference series this weekend. The state-of-the-art baseball complex replaces the twice-renovated facility that UK baseball had called home since 1969 when it was built as part of the Bernie A. Shively Sports Center.
“Our players are excited about the opportunity to play on our home field once again,” Coach Keith Madison said. “We are also very proud about opening our new stadium, and I hope that a lot Kentucky Wildcat fans will come out and visit our park to see why we’re excited. It will be one of the finest facilities in college baseball when totally completed.”
Friday afternoon’s 3 p.m. ET game will feature two of the top pitchers in the SEC. MSU will send sophomore southpaw Paul Maholm (3-1, 3.04 28 K) to the mound to battle junior right-hander Joseph Blanton (3-1, 1.64, 55 K), named the SEC’s Pitcher of the Week and a Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week two weeks ago. Maholm registered his first career complete-game performance in a 12-4 win against No. 4 South Carolina last Friday in Starkville, Miss. Blanton posted his second consecutive complete game last Friday night in UK’s 3-1 win at No. 24 Auburn.
Both the Wildcats and Bulldogs had midweek non-conference games washed out by inclement weather conditions. Kentucky was to originally open the newly constructed Cliff Hagan Stadium on Tuesday, March 19 against Tennessee Tech, while MSU’s Wednesday night game with Mississippi Valley State was also called due to rain.
MSU owns a 42-20 series lead on UK, including a 13-11 edge in Lexington. The series also reunites two head coaches that have over 50 years combined experience at the collegiate level. Ron Polk, now in his 23rd season directing the Bulldogs and 29th overall, will face off against one of his former pupils, Keith Madison, who is now in his 24th season at the helm of the Wildcats. Madison, serving as a graduate assistant on Polk’s MSU staff in 1977, ironically earned his 600th win against Polk in a 3-2 win on April 11, 1998 in Starkville. Polk is 898-428-1 (.677) at MSU, while Madison owns a 706-576-5 (.551) mark at UK.
All three games this weekend can be heard on WLXO 96.1 FM in Lexington and surrounding areas with Drew Deener calling the action. Live scoring of all UK baseball games can be accessed at UKAthletics.com.
Tickets are $5 for adults, $2 for children and senior citizens and free for UK students with a valid ID. The first 250 fans in attendance will receive a commemorative miniature Louisville Slugger bat recognizing the Cats’ first game in their new stadium.
– UK –
