March 28, 2003
Lexington, Ky. –
The University of Kentucky baseball team (10-15, 0-7 Southeastern Conference) managed only two runs on seven hits, falling 9-2 to the Arkansas Razorbacks (20-5, 3-4 SEC) at Cliff Hagan Stadium Friday night, March 28th. The loss snapped a two-game winning streak for the Bat Cats.
Arkansas wasted no time getting on the board. With two out in the second inning, Ryan Fox blasted a solo shot over the right center field wall to give the Razorbacks an early 1-0 lead. UA tacked on another in the third, as Nick Pitts came home on a sacrifice fly to left field from right fielder Andrew Wishy.
Arkansas added another in the top of the fourth before the Cats scratched out their first run. Mike Breyman led off the bottom half of the inning with a double that bounced off the right field wall and Caleb Stewart followed with a grounder down the left field line to score Breyman and close the gap to 3-1.
The Razorbacks broke open the game after Breyman rounded the bases, scoring twice in the fifth and adding four in the sixth to stretch their lead to 9-1.
Spencer Graeter crossed the plate for UK in the eighth after reaching base on a single with one out in the inning and scoring on an error.
UK’s biggest threat came in the second inning when Stewart led off with a blooper to left, and Jake Kungl walked. Russ Rutherford advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt before Caleb Brock was hit by pitcher Charley Boyce to load the bases, but Joe Nail’s broken bat grounder to third base turned into a double play to end the Kentucky threat.
Boyce (4-1) lasted seven innings for the Razorbacks, giving up six hits and one earned run while striking out six. For the Cats, Seth Stanley (1-4) gave up eight hits and nine runs in five innings before giving way to Matt Scott in the sixth. Scott went the remainder of the way on the mound for UK, allowing only four Razorback hits and no runs in four solid innings of relief.
Brad Pickrell and Stewart led the UK offense, both posting 2-for-4 efforts at the plate. Stewart had a double and drove in a run.
The Cats and Razorbacks meet again tomorrow in the second game of the weekend series. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. EST and can be heard live on WLXG 1300 AM with Drew Deener on the call.
— UK —
