May 14, 2003
Lexington, Ky. –
The Kentucky baseball team recorded its 736th victory under Head Coach Keith Madison with a 10-4 win over the Morehead State Golden Eagles Wednesday night, May 14, at Cliff Hagan Stadium. The win was the last at home for Madison, who is retiring at the end of the season after serving 25 years at the helm of the Kentucky program.
“It’s been a real blessing and a gift from God that I’ve been able to do what I love to do for the biggest part of my life,” Madison said. “I love this program and to have been able to coach here was a dream job for me. I appreciate all the opportunities that I’ve been given.”
UK (23-30) scored runs in the second and fifth innings thanks to a pair of RBI from UK catcher Aaron Edwards. Edwards drove in Caleb Brock in the second frame on an RBI single to left, and collected his second in his next at bat with a groundout that scored Brad Pickrell.
The Eagles (16-31) cut the Kentucky lead in half in the top of the sixth. Lance Seasor got things started for MSU with a single to right, and Matt Morris advanced him to second on a fielder’s choice. After Bryan Ingram grounded out to UK relief pitcher Jimmy Rose, Rose threw a wild pitch that cut Kentucky’s lead to 2-1, scoring Seasor from third.
The Cats doubled three times in the bottom of the sixth to add three more runs to the lead. Edwards struck again with his second hit of the game, an extra base hit to left center. Casey Gilvin followed with a stand-up double to right center, scoring Edwards, and Graeter took second on a double of his own down the left field line to bring in Gilvin from second. Graeter rounded out the scoring for the Cats, crossing the plate on UK’s fourth hit of the inning, a single from Mike Breyman up the middle.
After Morehead crossed a runner in the seventh, Pickrell answered with his second home run in as many days, a two-run shot over the left field wall that scored Brock. The Eagles and Cats scored a combined five runs in the eighth, with UK tacking on three of the five to give Kentucky the 10-4 victory.
Pickrell finished out his senior campaign at home with a bang, pounding his seventh homer of the season en route to a 2-for-4 performance for the Cats. Caleb Brock added two hits and three runs in the win, and Graeter followed his three-hit performance against Western Kentucky yesterday with two hits in the game.
The Cats return to Southeastern Conference action this weekend, traveling to Gainesville, Fla., to wrap up league play with a three-game series against the Florida Gators. The weekend series begins Friday at 7 p.m. EST at Alfred A. McKethan Stadium. All the action can be heard with Drew Deener all weekend on 96.1 FM.
— UK —
