LEXINGTON ? The Kentucky baseball team will play a pair of Southeastern Conference home series at Applebee?s Park in 2005, it was announced Saturday.
The Wildcats, in an agreement with the Lexington Legends, will host both Georgia and Auburn at the 6,000-seat facility. The Bulldogs, who reached the College World Series a year ago, come to town from March 25-27 while the Tigers are in the Bluegrass State from April 15-17.
?We?re very excited to have this opportunity to showcase Kentucky baseball,? said Wildcat head coach John Cohen. ?The Legends have been extremely generous to allow us to use their tremendous facility for two very important SEC weekends.?
The first of the two series takes place prior to the season opener for the Legends, which comes on April 7. Series two comes during the Legends first road trip of the year.
?As a University of Kentucky graduate and a long-time supporter of Wildcat baseball, I am thrilled to have coach Cohen?s team play some of their most important games at Applebee?s Park,? said Legends CEO Alan Stein.
The joint venture is also a way to bring baseball fans in the commonwealth state together as season-ticket packages for both the Wildcats and Legends include tickets to the six games.
?The Lexington Legends have always been deeply involved in central Kentucky?s baseball communities through support of youth baseball and this is just another way to demonstrate this commitment,? said Stein.
Kentucky plays the majority of its 30-game home schedule at the newly constructed Cliff Hagan Stadium on the Wildcat campus. The facility, which stands just down the road from Commonwealth Stadium, was rebuilt prior to the 2002 season and is one of the nicest in the SEC.
?We have a fantastic place to play in Cliff Hagan Stadium,? Cohen said. ?But this is a wonderful chance to put Kentucky baseball on display for the fan base the Legends have been able to build. Lexington is a great baseball town and this is a great way for us to reach out to the baseball community.?
Kentucky opens the season on Feb. 18 against Appalachian State in a tournament at Charleston, S.C. The first Wildcat home game is on Feb. 25 against Buffalo.
