Athens, (Ga.) ? Georgia starting pitcher Paul Lubrano was extraordinary, throwing a three-hitter to beat Kentucky, 5-1, on Sunday afternoon in Athens. Lubrano allowed just the one unearned run, while striking out nine and facing just two batters over the minimum for the game. He retired 18 of the game?s final 19 batters, including 17 in a row. With the win, Georgia completed a three-game sweep of Kentucky. The loss dropped the Wildcats to 5-16 in Southeastern Conference play, and 20-22 overall.
The Kentucky pitching staff was solid on the day, with six different Wildcats pitching in the game. Craig Snipp started and held the Bulldogs scoreless for the first three innings. James Rodriquez (2-4) was saddled with the loss after surrendering two earned runs in the fourth inning.
?I?m really pleased with the way we pitched the ball today,? UK head coach John Cohen said. ?I thought we threw a great game and we fielded well, but we just aren?t producing any runs, offensively, right now. We?re going to continue to give a great effort and it?s going to get better.?
Kentucky started the scoring in the third inning when John Shelby reached with a lead off single and scored when Spencer Graeter singled to center and the ball eluded Georgia centerfielder Kyle Keen, allowing Shelby to race home all the way from first base.
Josh Morris tied the game in the bottom of the fourth, hitting his 14th home run of the season, a long blast over the wall in left. Georgia then took the lead when Clint Sammons walked and scored from first on a double off the bat of Bobby Felmy.
Georgia (30-15, 12-9 SEC) extended its lead to 3-1 in the fifth, getting a run-scoring single from Justin Holmes to plate Jonathan Wyatt.
Four consecutive hits with two outs in the seventh led to two more Georgia runs. Josh Smith and Justin Holmes each singled and scored in the inning, as Marshall Szabo and Morris delivered run-scoring hits, putting UGA up, 5-1.
The two teams battled the weather, as the start of the game was delayed by 15 minutes and there was a 26-minute delay in the top of the first inning.
Kentucky returns to action this week with a Wednesday contest against intrastate rival Louisville at Cliff Hagan Stadium in Lexington. The Wildcats beat the Cardinals, 5-1, earlier this season in Louisville. Live stats of the game will be available at www.ukathletics.com.
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