April 6, 2002
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Spencer Graeter went 4-for-4 with two doubles and four RBIs but a season-high eight errors prevented the University of Kentucky baseball team from winning the second game of a Southeastern Conference series at Tennessee as it fell, 16-10, Saturday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
For the fifth time in five league games, Graeter started the first inning with a base hit to get things going early for the Wildcats (12-17, 2-9 SEC). Brad Pickrell executed a sacrifice bunt successfully to advance the runner to second and Seth Morris brought home Graeter on a two-out RBI single up the middle to give the Cats a 1-0 edge over the Volunteers (17-17, 4-7 SEC).
Tennessee took advantage of two first-inning Spencer Graeter errors to answer with two runs of its own in the bottom of the first. Graeter, making his first start of the season at first base and first defensively since throwing out his shoulder on March 6, threw to the right of covering Scott Wade that allowed Nick Crowe to reach base. In the following UT at-bat, the sophomore infielder missed the bag on a routine grounder to the mound by Walter Sevilla. Both runs scored on Wade in the opening frame were unearned.
The Volunteers opened the floodgates against Wade in the second as they scored five runs on six hits and received help with two more UK errors. Ryan Moffet, who nailed a RBI single in the first, came back in the third with a three-run triple to right-center, highlighting the pivotal inning for the Vols.
Seth Morris found his home run stroke in the fourth as the junior center fielder sent his ninth round-tripper of the year over the center field wall. The Cats went on to load the bases on a walk to Spencer Preston and two subsequent infield errors. Graeter’s hot bat continued to sizzle as he ripped a standup double to the right-center gap that cleared the bases and sliced UT’s lead to 7-5.
Two RBI singles in the fourth increased the Tennessee lead to 9-5 and impelled Madison to signal for freshman Craig Snipp out of the bullpen to relieve Wade after 3.2 innings. The Kingsport, Tenn. native, ended the day with 3.2 innings pitched and allowed nine runs (five unearned) on nine hits with no walks and four strikeouts. Snipp, making his fourth appearance in relief, got roughed up in the sixth when the Vols put the game away with four more runs on three hits. Rob Corrado finished the game, tossing 2.2 innings allowing one run on two hits with two strikeouts.
For the game, UK and UT combined for 26 runs, 28 hits and 12 errors. Sevilla and Moffett posted three hits apiece in the Vols’ third straight conference win. Morris finished 3-for-5, while Pickrell and Robert Newton had two-hit performances.
Kentucky and Tennessee will play the final game of the series tomorrow at 2 p.m. ET. Sophomore Cory Hahn (2-4, 4.44 ERA) is the projected starter for the Wildcats, while Tennessee will challenge with freshman right-hander Jay Sadlowe (1-3, 8.64 ERA).
Sunday’s game will be broadcast live by WLXO 96.1 FM in the Lexington, Ky. area with Drew Deener on the call. Live audio broadcasts as well as in-game scoring can be accessed from UKAthletics.com.
Kentucky100403020 - 10 12 8Tennessee25022410X - 16 16 4Win: Hicklen (5-3)Loss: Wade (3-6)Time: 3:03Attendance: 1417
– UK –
