Rock Hill, (S.C.) — The Kentucky baseball team will open its 2004 season on Friday when it takes on Kent State at 12:30 p.m. (ET). The game is the first in the Coca Cola Classic, hosted by Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C.

The game marks the first for new Kentucky head coach John Cohen. Cohen was named as Keith Madison?s successor in July. Madison retired from his post as the UK skipper after 25 years at the helm. Cohen, whose career includes assistant coaching stops at Missouri and most recently Florida, was the head coach at Northwestern State (La.) for four years, from 1998-2001. He compiled a 146-84 record in his time at Northwestern State, including two Southland Conference championships.

The Wildcats will send junior right handed pitcher James Rodriquez to the hill in the opening game. Rodriquez, a Paris, Ky., native, finished last season with a 2-0 record and a 4.63 earned run average.

Kentucky is scheduled to play three games in all in the weekend tournament. The Cats will take on the host Winthrop Eagles, ranked in the top 30 by several publications in the preseason, and finish the weekend in a scheduled bout with Maryland on Sunday. Sophomore Craig Snipp will take the mound for UK on Saturday with senior Seth Stanley slated to start the Sunday contest.

Kentucky owns a 4-1 record against Kent State all time, including a two-game sweep over the Golden Flash a season ago. The Wildcats trail the all-time series with Winthrop, 2-1, and own a perfect 3-0 career mark against the Terrapins of Maryland. UK downed Maryland, 6-4, on the opening weekend of 2003.

A live play-by-play of the tournament is available online. .

— UK —