LEXINGTON, Ky. — Sean Coughlin drove in two runs and Mike Brown doubled twice, as the No. 21 Kentucky baseball team utilized a five-run seventh inning to break a 3-3 tie and defeat the Oakland Golden Grizzlies 9-3, on a pleasant Tuesday evening at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
The Wildcats drew 12 walks, including three forced by first baseman Sawyer Carroll, and senior Matt McKinney also contributed two hits, as Kentucky plated six unanswered runs to improve to 8-0 on the young season. UK gave Oakland fits on the basepaths, swiping seven bases, including two from Antone DeJesus. UK stole six bases on Tennessee Tech in a 10-3 Sunday win, bringing Kentucky’s the stolen base total to 13 in just two games.
Kentucky’s 8-0 start is tied for the second-best start in the 103-year history of the Wildcat baseball program. UK’s 1987 squad began the season running off eight consecutive wins, and Keith Madison’s 2000 team set the school mark by winning its first 15 games.
Wildcat starter Duran Ferguson continued a stellar start to his collegiate career, fanning six in just four innings of work. The Blountville, Tenn. native has now struck out 18 batters in just 10 innings on the hill. Ferguson allowed only one unearned run before fellow freshman Colby Brown relieved him, getting his first action as a Wildcat. Colby Brown tossed two innings before handing the ball over the Kentucky’s imposing right-hander, Scott Green. Green notched the win, hurling three scoreless innings and allowing just one hit.
DeJesus continues to be a force atop the Wildcat lineup, as the Amherst, Ohio native has now reached in eight of his last 11 plate appearances. DeJesus drew two walks on the day, was hit by a pitch, singled once, and plated two runs.
Kentucky continues its busy week with a 4 p.m. EST game with Xavier at Cliff Hagan Stadium. Fans can catch the action in Lexington on WXRA 1580-AM. Wednesday’s game marks another installment of Kentucky’s Website Wednesday’s promotion, where fans can visit UKathletics.com before the game to print off a special admission coupon.
Kentucky got the scoring started at its first opportunity, plating two runs in the bottom of the first. Mike Brown doubled, his second of the season, and Carroll drew his first walk of the evening. Coughlin, a preseason All-American, plated the two runners with a hard-hit double to right-center field.
After two scoreless innings, Oakland answered in the fourth, courtesy of two errors on the Wildcat defense. Kevin Carkeek drove in Dan Ryan to plate the Golden Grizzlies first run.
In the bottom half of the fourth, UK answered by plating one run on a McKinney RBI single that plated DeJesus, who reached on a walk.
In the sixth, Oakland tied the game with a two-run inning. Ryan singled to lead off the inning and Carkeek homered to even up the score at three.
UK took control of the contest with its five-run inning in the seventh, beginning with a Coughlin walk. Keenan Wiley pinch-ran for Coughlin and promptly stole second and Brian Spear doubled, putting runners on second and third with no out. Shortstop Ryan Wilkes, who has opened the season batting .364, hung a foul ball in the air just enough to plate Wiley to give UK the lead. Spear came around to score on a wild pitch and after Tyler Howe walked, DeJesus drove him in for UK’s third run of the inning. Brown ripped his second double of the contest and his third of the campaign down the right-field line to plate DeJesus. Mike Brown stole third and plated on a throwing error on the Oakland catcher Carkeek, for Kentucky’s final run of the inning.
Kentucky added to its lead in the eighth, as McKinney led off the inning with a single. Two walks loaded the bases and UK freshman outfielder Jason Kipnis drove in UK’s final run, forcing a walk to make it 9-3.
Oakland reliever Dan Dobberowski took the loss, allowing the two deciding runs in the seventh inning.
The game with Xavier will be the nightcap of a double header at Cliff Hagan Stadium. Oakland and Xavier will face off with a 12:30 p.m. EST game, before Kentucky and the Musketeers play at 4 p.m.
