May 13, 2003
Lexington, Ky. –
The Kentucky baseball team dropped its second game of the season to the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky, 9-3, at Cliff Hagan Stadium, on Tuesday, May 13. WKU (28-20) hit four home runs in the game, the most of any UK opponent since Arkansas knocked out five homers against the Cats (22-30) earlier this season in March.
Three of the first eight Hilltopper batters hit balls out of the park, putting Western on top 5-1 through two innings. Tim Grogan got things started for WKU with a two-run shot over center field off UK starter Mark Galvin. Antone Towns and Kevin Bearden followed with solo homers, and a Matt Johnston double to the left field wall scored David Lower for the four-run advantage.
The Cats tacked on one of their three runs in the first. Spencer Graeter led off the inning with a line drive down the left field line. After Brad Pickrell singled to left, Mike Breyman picked up UK’s first RBI with a groundout to first base, scoring Graeter from third. Kentucky plated another run in the third when Pickrell hit his sixth home run of the season, a lead-off solo blast over the wall in center field. Pinch runner Casey Gilvin scored the third and final run for the Cats in the eighth after Jesse Barber advanced him to second on a single to left and Graeter smacked his third hit of the evening for Kentucky’s third run of the contest.
Western added five more runs in the last four innings for the final 10-3 tally. Bearden hit his second round tripper of the game for the Toppers in the eighth, accounting for his two hits, two RBI and two runs in the contest.
Pickrell, Graeter and Caleb Stewart provided the bulk of the Cats’ offense. The three were responsible for seven of the team’s nine hits in the game. Joe Naill and Barber rounded out the base hits for Kentucky, each adding singles to left field in the losing cause.
The Cats return to action tomorrow, hosting Morehead State to finish out the home schedule for the season. West Harris will take the mound in his first career start, with first pitch being thrown at approximately 6 p.m. EST. The game will be Head Coach Keith Madison’s last at Cliff Hagan Stadium as the Wildcat skipper.
— UK —
