May 18, 2002
In the last Southeastern Conference series of the 2002 season, The University of Kentucky baseball team fell to the Florida Gators in both games of a doubleheader at Cliff Hagan Stadium. Florida scored 32 runs on the day, taking the first game 14-4 and the second 18-6. The Wildcats drop to 17-35 and 6-23 in the SEC, while Florida improves to 39-15 and 19-10 in league play.
After Florida tacked on three runs in the first, including Ryan Shealy’s SEC-leading 20th homer of the season, Kentucky countered in its half of the inning. Sophomore Spencer Graeter walked to start the Cats off. Senior Robert Newton singled down the middle to advance Graeter to second and a single from Seth Morris brought in Greater for UK’s first run of the day.
The Gators answered again in the second. Back-to-back doubles from Aaron Sobieraj and Brian Rose drove in Sobeiraj to give UF a 4-1 cushion. Shealy’s sacrifice fly brought in Aaron Davidson in the third to add another Gator run, but with the bases loaded and two outs, Coach Keith Madison called on senior southpaw Bryan Felkel to replace UK starter Cory Hahn to finish the inning for the Cats. Hahn (3-8) finished with eight hits and five earned runs in 2.2 innings on the mound.
The Cats went scoreless for two innings before freshman Mike Ferris led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo homerun to right field to cut the UK deficit to 5-2. Morris continued the Kentucky threat in the sixth with a leadoff walk. With two outs, Caleb Stewart singled off UF starter Alex Hart (13-1) and Russ Rutherford walked to load the bases for pinch hitter Emory Davies. After Davies was hit by the pitch, Morris came home to give UK its third run on the day.
After putting two Gators on base in the eighth, Mark Galvin was called on to replace Felkel on the mound, who went five shutout innings while only giving up three hits to the Gators. Galvin finished out the inning, but not before giving up a three-run homer to Davidson to increase the Gator lead to 8-3.
Kentucky added one run in the eighth and Florida tacked on six in the ninth off Galvin and freshman Jeff Archer to round out the scoring in the first game of the doubleheader at 14-4.
In the second game, Kentucky fell to the Gators 18-4. For the Cats, junior Gordon Tyler went 3-4 at the plate, knocking over two homeruns in the game and driving in three of UK’s six runs in the nightcap.
Junior Brad Pickrell led off the game with a home run of his own and finished the game 2-3 before being replaced by David Waespe in the seventh. Junior Rob Corrado (1-4) took the loss for Kentucky on the mound, going 4.2 innings while giving out 12 hits and striking out two. Freshman James Rodriguez and senior Jarrod Reynolds finished the game for the Cats in relief. UF’s Keith Ramsey (7-3) earned the win for the Gators, going six innings and striking out six Cats en route to the win.
Kentucky finishes out the 2002 season Sunday, May 19 at Cliff Hagan Stadium in the series finale with the Gators. UK will send junior righty Joseph Blanton (5-6, 4.53 ERA) to the mound after Senior Day ceremonies Sunday afternoon. UK will honor seniors Bryan Felkel, Robert Newton, Spencer Preston and Jarrod Reynolds before the 1 p.m. ET start.
Game OneUF31100003614 17 1UK100101010 4 8 1Win: Hart (13-1)Loss: Hahn (3-8)Save: Bartelt (2)Time: 3:09Attendance: 473
Game TwoUF201842100 18 18 0UK100102020 6 6 3Win: Ramsey (7-3)Loss: Corrado (1-4)Time: 2:43Attendance: 378
– UK –
