April 5, 2002
Knoxville, Tenn. — Joseph Blanton struck out eight batters and Knoxville native Russ Rutherford went 2-for-3 with a run scored but it was not enough as the University of Kentucky baseball team dropped its Southeastern Conference series opener to Tennessee, 12-7, in front of 1,310 spectators at Lindsey Nelson Stadium Friday night.
The Wildcats (12-16, 2-8 SEC) struck early when Spencer Graeter ripped a leadoff single to left and Brad Pickrell, entering the game with a team-high nine game hit streak, followed up with a one-hopper to first that Dennis Gomez bobbled. With runners on first and second with nobody down, Madison called for a double steal and UT catcher Javi Herrera, attempting to gun down Graeter, watched his throw to third sail high past third baseman Matt Sternberg allowing Graeter to come home. Caleb Stewart pulled through with a looping fly ball that dropped fair along the right field line and Pickrell came home to give UK an early 2-0 advantage.
UK pushed across another run in the fifth when Russ Rutherford, making his return to his hometown of Knoxville, laced a single to left and was brought home on a double down the left field line by Pickrell.
Joseph Blanton (3-4) pitched four scoreless innings until Tennessee put a chink in the right-hander’s armor. Hal Bibee, Jr. smacked a leadoff double off the center field wall and scored on a double to right-center by Jordan Czarniecki to end Blanton’s shutout hopes. UT continued it rally when Walter Sevilla slapped UT’s third double of the inning over Stewart’s head in right, scoring both runners to even it up at three apiece.
The Cats forced Rod Delmonico to go to his bullpen in the sixth when starter Ben Riley loaded the bases on walks by Gordon Tyler and Spencer Preston and an infield single by Rutherford. Joey Andrews (4-4) put his toe to the rubber and yielded a five-pitch walk to Graeter, scoring Tyler to regain the lead, 4-3.
Tennessee followed by example as it put Vols on all three bases with two down its half of the sixth. Czarniecki, batting in the ninth hole, lined a two-run single to left, giving the junior three RBIs on the night. The two runs propelled Madison to signal for Brian Felkel to get the Cats out of their sixth inning jam. The senior delivered getting Nick Crowe to fly to center but only after UT reclaimed the lead, 5-4.
The Vols added to their lead in the seventh when Ryan Moffett ripped UT’s fifth double and crossed home plate on a RBI single off the right field wall by Dennis Gomez.
UK threatened again when it loaded the bases in the eighth after Cory Hahn was hit by a pitch, Emory Davies walked and Brent Stephens was plunked. Graeter then grounded to short but scored Hahn to slice the UT lead to one run. However, the lead would not withstand as Tennessee rallied for a six-run eighth to send to their fifth straight league defeat.
Though suffering the loss, Blanton’s fastball was clocked as high as 93 mph by the horde of major league scouts attending the 249th meeting of the Cats and Vols. The hard-throwing right-hander was also named the No. 7 college prospect in the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft by Baseball America earlier this week.
Kentucky and Tennessee will continue the series tomorrow at 4 p.m. ET in the 250th meeting of the two SEC Eastern Division rivals. Junior right-hander Scott Wade (3-4, 6.08 ERA) will start for the Cats, while the Vols will send sophomore righty Patrick Hicklen (4-3, 5.82 ERA) to the hill.
Kentucky200011012 - 7 8 2Tennessee00003216X - 12 15 2Win: Andrews (4-4)Loss: Blanton (3-4)Time: 3:14Attendance: 1310
– UK –
