TUSCALOOSA, Ala. ? Alabama broke open a close game with a five-run sixth en route to a 10-4 win over Kentucky (12-7, 0-3 Southeastern Conference) on Sunday afternoon at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
The loss was the Wildcats fifth straight as they were swept in their first conference series of the year. Kentucky has dropped seven straight SEC games dating back to last year. Alabama (18-5, 3-0) won its fourth consecutive game.
?It was a tough weekend. I thought we had chances to win every game, but just couldn?t make plays,? said Kentucky head coach John Cohen. ?But we brought11 freshmen with us on this trip who are playing in their first SEC games and they are young. As they gain experience, they?ll make those plays and we will win games.?
With Alabama leading 4-3 in the sixth, Gabe Scott and Charlie Lyons reached on a pair throwing error by pitcher Kalen Gibson to spark the rally. Emeel Salem followed with a bunt single and Greg Paiml drew an RBI walk for the first run. Cale Iorg?s fielder?s choice plated a run before Rocky Scelfo?s triple to right, which was the only ball of the inning to leave the infield, scored two Scelfo was brought home on Allen Rice?s groundout to second.
The two errors in the inning were a part of the five Kentucky committed on the afternoon. The Wildcats committed 12 errors in the series and have had three or more errors in five consecutive games.
?I thought we really hurt ourselves this weekend defensively,? Cohen said. ?You look at the three games this weekend, and Alabama scored unearned runs to win each one of them. Defense is an area that we have to address if we want to be successful in this league.?
Gibson, who was relieved by Adam Revelette after walking Paiml, took the loss to fall to 3-1. He allowed eight runs, only two earned on four hits while striking out five and walking six.
Brandon Belcher earned the win after coming on in relief to throw five innings. He allowed a single run on three hits while fanning four and walking one.
Kentucky came back from an early 3-0 deficit to tie the game in the third. J.P. Lowen led off with a single and scored on an Antone DeJesus triple. Ryan Wilkes followed with a walk and Michael Bertram reached on a error that allowed DeJesus to score. Shaun Lehmann beat out a bunt for an single to load the bases and Billy Grace was hit by a pitch to force home a run. With the bags still full and nobody out, John Shelby struck out and Brian Hastings grounded into a double play to end the inning with no more damage.
The double play was one of five turned by Alabama. Each of the first three innings ended in a double play for the Crimson Tide.
?It seemed like every time we got something going, they made a great defensive play,? Cohen said. ?We had the bases loaded with nobody out and they get a strikeout and a double play to end the inning. It was just that kind of weekend for us.?
Lehmann finished with three of Kentucky?s eight hits, which matched Alabama?s hit total.
Alabama opened up a 2-0 lead in the first with a leadoff walk followed by a two-out home run from Evan Bush. In the second, Lyons reached on an error, went to third on a pair of walks and scored on a fielder?s choice.
Notes: Kentucky lost its 13th straight SEC game played on Sunday ? Kentucky has lost seven straight SEC games, four at the hands of Alabama ? Shaun Lehmann was caught stealing for the first time in nine attempts this year ? Alabama turned a double play to end each of the first three innings and turned five overall ? Seven of Alabama?s nine runs on Sunday and 12 of its 18 runs in the series were unearned ? Kentucky has committed three or more errors in five straight games ? Kentucky committed 12 errors in the series ? Shaun Lehmann recorded a career high three hits ? Shaun Lehmann recorded his fifth multi-hit game of the year.
Alabama 10, Kentucky 4 (Mar 20, 2005 at Tuscaloosa, Ala.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Kentucky............ 003 000 010 - 4 8 5 (12-7, 0-3 SEC) Alabama............. 210 105 01X - 10 8 2 (18-5, 3-0 SEC) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitchers: Kentucky - K. Gibson; A. Revelette(6); A. Jordan(8). Alabama - Downs; Belcher(3); J. Davis(8). Win-Belcher(3-0) Loss-K. Gibson(3-1) T-2:46 A-3863 HR UA - Bush (7). Downs faced 3 batters in the 3rd. K. Gibson faced 4 batters in the 6th. Belcher faced 3 batters in the 8th.
