April 27, 2003
Lexington, Ky. –
The Kentucky baseball team failed to sweep its first Southeastern Conference series of the season, with a 12-0 loss to the Georgia Bulldogs Sunday afternoon, April 27, at Cliff Hagan Stadium. After outscoring the Bulldogs 17-5 in the first two games of the series, the Cats could not manage to score a run on only six hits in the series finale.
Georgia darted out to a quick 3-0 lead in the third. Justin Holmes jump-started the Bulldog offense with an infield base hit. David Coffey then reached first on a fielder’s choice, and Lee Mitchell doubled to center to score Holmes from third and put UGA on the board. Jon Armitage’s single to center brought in Coffey and Mitchell to round out the scoring in the third before Mickey Westphal grounded into a double play to end the threat for the Bulldogs.
UK starter Scott Wade lasted 3 1/3 innings on the mound before being relieved by Matt Scott. The Bulldogs tallied eight hits off Wade, including three in the fourth before an RBI single to right from Smith gave the Bulldogs a 4-0 lead and forced the Cats to go to Scott in the bullpen. Mitchell took advantage of the pitching change with a sacrifice fly to right that scored Holmes, and a throwing error gave the Bulldogs two more runs. Ned Yost pushed UGA’s lead to 9-0 with a two run home run for the Bulldogs’ ninth hit of the afternoon and first round-tripper of the series. Georgia tacked on three more runs in the sixth to push the lead past double digits.
UK used seven hurlers in the contest. Wade (2-5) took the loss for the Cats, while Michael Hyle (5-0) earned the win on the mound for the Bulldogs, giving up only three hits in four innings of work. Joe Naill was the only Cat to finish with more than one base hit, accounting for 1/3 of the offense for UK with two singles to centerfield.
The Cats take a break from SEC action to host Lipscomb University at Cliff Hagan Stadium Tuesday night at 6 p.m. EST.
–UK–
