CHARLESTON, S.C. ? Kentucky scored in seven different innings en route to a convincing win over defending Colonial Athletic Association champion George Mason, 15-4, on Sunday at the Buccaneer Classic.
With the win, the Wildcats improve to 2-1 on the year while George Mason falls to 1-2. Kentucky returns to action on Friday for its home opener against Buffalo. The game, slated for 3 p.m., begins a three-game set with the Bulls.
The Wildcats amassed 18 hits and had 11 different players record a hit, including six with two or more. They also benefited from six Patriot errors, which led to five unearned runs.
Kentucky blew the game wide open with a four-run fifth. The Wildcats manufactured a run as John Shelby singled, stole second and advanced to third on a groundout. He came home on an Antone DeJesus sacrifice fly. With the bases empty and two outs, Kentucky pounded out five straight singles to plate three runs for a 10-1 lead.
It was the second two-out rally of the contest for the Wildcats as they posted three second-inning runs with two outs. DeJesus and JB Schmidt drew walks around a Shaun Lehmann single to load the bases. Shortstop Matt York then bobbled a Brian Hastings grounder to allow one run followed by a two-run single from Michael Bertram for a 4-1 lead.
The Wildcats got started early as Hastings singled home Schmidt in the first. The Patriots answered in the bottom of the frame with a solo home run to left center.
Hastings finished 3-for-4 with three RBI while Schmidt had two hits and scored four times. Bertram had two hits and ended the weekend 7-for-11 with five RBI. He has a six-game hit streak dating back to last season.
Kentucky tallied a pair of runs in the fourth, seventh and ninth as well as one in the eighth for their highest scoring game since a 15-14 win over Michigan in March 2004.
Aaron Tennyson came on in the fourth and gave up two runs on five hits in five innings to earn his first career win. Kalen Gibson started the contest and went three innings, allowing one run on two hits.
Three of the Patriots four runs came in the eighth and ninth innings after the game was well in hand.
For George Mason, Brent Hitz took the loss, the first one of his career after going 6-0 a year ago. Kentucky tagged him for six runs on six hits through four innings.
