March 9, 2003
Lexington, Ky. –
Brad Pickrell cleared the bases with two outs in the bottom of the third inning to stretch a 2-1 Kentucky lead to 5-1, as the Bat Cats went on to beat Purdue, 7-1, and take the rubber match of a three-game series from the Boilermakers.
UK (7-6, 0-0 SEC) stretched its lead to 7-1 in the eighth when Joe Naill singled and came around to score on a double off the bat of Casey Gilvin. Gilvin was thrown out at third trying to stretch the hit into a triple, but Jake Kungl doubled and Spencer Graeter brought him home with a double of his own to round out the scoring.
Kentucky starter Seth Stanley (1-0) had a solid performance, throwing six innings and allowing only one run on seven hits, while striking out three. James Rodriquez threw two shutout innings in relief and Jeff Archer came on to nail it down in the ninth.
“I was really pleased with our pitching today,” Coach Keith Madison said. “Seth Stanley gave us an outstanding performance and Rodriquez and Archer both threw very well out of the bull pen.”
UK got on the board in the bottom half of the first inning when Jake Kungl singled and later came around to score on Mike Breyman’s single. Purdue (4-3, 0-0 Big Ten) tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the second on a Brad Kriner groundout to bring John Manuel home. Purdue was unable to scratch again, though, as the Kentucky staff scattered seven Boilermaker hits after the second inning.
The Bat Cats return to action on Tuesday, March 11th, when they play host to the Indiana State Sycamores. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
– UK –
