April 12, 2002
The University of Kentucky baseball team scored eight runs in the fifth inning off All-America right-hander Lance Cormier but a four-run Alabama seventh prevented the UK upset as the Wildcats (14-18, 3-10 SEC) fell to the Crimson Tide (30-5, 10-3 SEC), 11-9, in the Southeastern Conference series opener Friday night at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
The game was marketed as a pitchers duel with Major League prospects Joseph Blanton of Kentucky and UA’s Cormier climbing their respective mounds to start the game. Neither one figured in the pitcher of record in a game that saw UK walk a season-high 11 batters and UA strand 12 runners on the bases.
Alabama got to Blanton in the second when it loaded the bases and scored when Zac Welch walked and forced Allen Rice home from third. Scott McClanahan grounded to third and scored Travis Garner to give the Tide an early 2-0 lead.
The Crimson Tide extended their lead to 3-0 when Peter Stonard cracked his fourth home run of the season over the left field wall. Stonard’s round-tripper marked the sixth yielded by Blanton this season and the 12th consecutive game a Tide hitter as hit a home run.
The Wildcats put a run on Cormier in the fourth when Spencer Graeter ripped his team-high ninth double down the left field line and scored on a throwing error to first by UA shortstop Adam Pavkovich. Before Allen Rice could leadoff in the fifth, play was halted for 23 minutes to due to rain.
After the tarp was removed, the Cats got to Cormier again with a run in their half of the fifth. Cory Hahn began the inning with a double down the right field line and a RBI single by Jesse Barber brought the third baseman home. Caleb Stewart continued the inning with a deep infield single to first, giving UK runners at second at first with two outs. Graeter took first on a walk to load the bases for Robert Newton and the senior delivered with a two-RBI single to left. UK continued to rock Cormier when Seth Morris and Gordon Tyler cracked back-to-back doubles, giving Kentucky its first lead of the game at 7-6. The Cats offensive arsenal continued to click when Cory Hahn launched his second home run of the season over the left-center wall to give UK a 9-6 advantage. Jim Wells saw enough and replaced Cormier with Taylor Tankersly after eight runs crossed the plate on the All-America right-hander. The previous high for runs and unearned runs this season for Cormier was four each in a March 29 outing at South Carolina.
Bama put another run across the plate in the seventh when Blanton surrendered two infield base hits and a RBI single by Chad White scored Allen Rice to make it 9-7. Madion went to his bullpen and sent freshman lefty Craig Snipp to the mound. Snipp dug himself a hole by hitting Zac Welch and walking McCalanahan to score Garner. Pavckovich grounded to third to score pinch runner Grant Redding. The Tide loaded the bases for Jeremy Brown and Madison again went to his pen, electing for sophomore right-hander Mark Galvin. Galvin walked Brown to first on five pitches making it the third run the Cats walked in for the inning. The Tide regained the lead, 10-9, with its four-run seventh.
Alabama added an insurance run in the ninth when Stonard doubled to left and Brown followed with a single to left to left, scoring Stonard to give the Tide a safe two-run cushion. Junior infielder Brad Pickrell’s 13-game SEC-leading hitting streak ended tonight as he went 0-for-5 at the plate.
Kentucky and Alabama will continue the series tomorrow at 6 p.m. when UK junior right-hander Scott Wade (3-6, 6.53) will challenge UA lefty Jeffrey Norris (2-0, 2.79 ERA).
Alabama 021 300 401 - 11 12 2Kentucky 000 180 000 - 9 10 1Win: Tankersly (6-2)Loss: Snipp (3-2)Time: 3:11Attendance: 527
– UK –
