April 26, 2003
Lexington, Ky. –
The University of Kentucky baseball team took the first game of a Southeastern Conference series from the Georgia Bulldogs, 8-1, Saturday afternoon at Cliff Hagan Stadium. The Cats (17-23, 5-13 SEC) and Bulldogs (21-21, 4-15 SEC) resumed play in the game in the bottom of the third with the Cats on top 1-0. UK maintained their momentum from Friday night, scoring seven runs on 11 hits in the last six innings.
Spencer Graeter and Caleb Brock got things started for the Cats with back-to-back extra base hits in the fourth. Graeter began the rally with his first triple of the season to the center field wall. Brock stepped up and doubled to left to score Graeter and extend the Cats lead to 2-0. With two outs in the inning, Aaron Edwards struck again with a single to right that drove in Brock for a three run lead.
The Cats added to the cushion in the sixth when Jake Kungl and Russ Rutherford hit consecutive singles to left field. Brock, who had walked to lead off the inning, scored on a wild pitch from UG pitcher Matt Woods for the first run, and Kungl added the second with the RBI single from Rutherford.
Rutherford started another Cat attack in the eighth, blasting his first home run of the year over the left field wall to lead off the inning. Joe Naill reached on an error and scored on a double from Brad Pickrell, and Mike Breyman followed with a double that drove in Pickrell for the Cats final run and an 8-1 final score.
Tennessee tacked on their lone run in the fifth. Clint Sammons advanced to third on a throwing error from the Cats and Jasha Balcom earned the Bulldogs’ only RBI of the afternoon with a single.
Seth Stanley earned the win on the mound for the Cats after picking up where Scott Wade left off in the third. Stanley gave up eight hits in the game, one unearned run, and struck out seven Bulldog batters. Rutherford’s homerun was part of his 2-for-3 day at the plate, and Brock also finished with an impressive three hits in as many at bats for the Cats.
The Cats and Bulldogs will pick up game two as scheduled at 4 p.m. EST. The action can be heard live with Drew Deener on 96.1 FM or on the internet at www.ukathletics.com. The contest is also being televised live on Fox Sports Net.
–UK–
