LEXINGTON, Ky. ? Sean Coughlin broke open a tie game in the bottom of the sixth inning with a game-winning, two-run double, as the No. 17 Kentucky baseball team squeaked out a 6-4 win over Tennessee-Martin, on a beautiful evening at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
Kentucky (14-0) is merely one win shy of tying the 2000 club for the best start in the 103-year history of the Wildcat baseball program. The Wildcats, holders of the nation?s longest regular season home winning streak (24), look to make program history with the second game of the three-game set, Saturday at 1 p.m. EST.
Coughlin finished the day 4-for-5 with a triple and the game-clinching double. The backstop has continued an absolutely blistering pace at the plate, driving in 17 runs over the last five games. On Monday, the league office named Coughlin the Southeastern Conference Player of the Week.
Kentucky?s Mike Brown has been equally sizzling in the batters box, batting 16-for-24 over the last seven UK games, including plating 11 times in the last four contests. Brown got a hit in each of his first three plate appearances of the day, while batting in the leadoff spot for the first time of his career. The Davis, Calif. native finished the evening 3-for-4, with his sixth double of the season. Brown has emerged as a major weapon at the plate, now leading the team with a .514 (19-for-37) batting average, after the senior recorded only six hits during the 2006 SEC Championship season. Brown also leads the team, swiping nine bases in 10 attempts.
Kentucky starter Chris Rusin worked five innings, striking out four, before handing the ball over to a pair of Wildcat relievers ? Tommy Warner and Brock Baber. Baber tossed the final four innings of the contest, to improve to 1-0 on the season, while allowing only two Skyhawk hits.
While Kentucky got big production from Mike Brown, Coughlin, and first baseman Sawyer Carroll – who tallied two RBI on a 1-of-3 day. Carroll and Brock Wright plated twice, while each drawing two walks. UK drew seven total walks on the day, giving the Wildcats a league-high 95 walks over the first 14 games.
Tennessee-Martin got the scoring started in the second inning, pushing across three runs. Scott McLean singled and moved into scoring position on a fielding error charged to the UK defense. McLean advanced to third on a wild pitch and Jason Hockaday and Albert Destrade walked. Douglas Nicodemus singled to score McLean. Blake Turner doubled to drive in two more and give UTM an early 3-0 lead.
Kentucky answered with one run in the next half inning, as Mike Brown worked a bases loaded walk, pushing across a run to narrow the Skyhawk lead to 3-1.
In the fourth, Kentucky took a lead on a three-run frame, beginning with a Brown two-out double down the right-field line. Wright drew and walk and Sawyer Carroll cleared the bases with his team-high ninth double of the season. Coughlin would drive in Carroll with a clutch two-out single to give UK its first lead of the contest.
Tennessee-Martin (2-8) claimed a one run lead in the sixth, as Warner surrendered two consecutive singles before the bases loaded up on a fielding error charged to UK?s Matt McKinney. Baber entered, forcing an immediate grounded double play, allowing one run to score. Baber got UK out of the jam, forcing a fly out from the next batter.
Coughlin broke the game open with his game-winning double in the bottom of the sixth. Wright and Carroll each drew their second walks of the game, setting the stage for the Morrison, Colo., native to provide heroics. Coughlin blasted a double to the opposite field, down the left-field line, scoring Wright and Carroll to give UK the deciding runs.
Coughlin provided a two-out triple in the eighth inning, the second of his career. The ball was a towering shot which bounced high off the green monster in right field, allowing Coughlin to round third with his eyes on an unlikely inside the park home run. An unbelievable play from UTM shortstop Lance Renton, narrowly beat a sliding Coughlin to home plate, to end the inning in exciting fashion.
On Saturday, Kentucky returns to action seeking to tie the 2000 club?s mark with a 15-0 start to the season. Taking the hill for UK will be right-hander Duran Ferguson, a Blountville, Tenn. native. The redshirt freshman has emerged as a dominant arm on the Wildcat pitching staff, tossing 11 innings and striking out 18 batters. Ferguson will face off with Skyhawk southpaw Eric Walker.
Game time is set for 1 p.m. and fans in Lexington can hear the action live on WLAP 630-AM, with Neil Price calling the action.
Coaches Clinic Set for Saturday Morning
Saturday?s contest will feature a special coaches clinic before the game, from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Nutter Field House. The Wildcat coaching staff will work with coaches on baseball skills, drills, and motivational techniques.
Following the coaches clinic, the Wildcats take on Tennessee Martin at 1:00 pm. All coaches who attend the clinic will receive a voucher for free admission to the game for themselves and a guest.
The clinic is free of charge and registration will begin at 8:00 a.m.
Post Game Notes
Team Records and Series Notes
Kentucky improves to 14-0 on the season, just one shy of the record for the best start in school annals. The 2000 squad opened its season running off 15 consecutive wins.
Kentucky has now won 24 consecutive games at Cliff Hagan Stadium, the longest home winning streak in college baseball.
Kentucky now leads the all-time series with Tennessee-Martin 3-0.
With the loss, Tennessee-Martin falls to 2-8 on the season.
The Wildcats and Skyhawks continue their three-game series tomorrow with a 1 p.m. start. Freshman Duran Ferguson goes to the mound for Kentucky, while sophomore southpaw Eric Walker gets the call for Tennessee-Martin.
Team Notes
The Wildcats have now plated 158 runs in just 14 games, after setting the school record with 500 runs scored during 2006.
The Wildcats have scored 45 runs over the last three games.
Kentucky has had 10 or more hits in nine of 14 games.
The Wildcats have come from behind to win in nine of the first 14 games.
Kentucky drew seven walks on the day, bringing its 14-game total to an SEC high 95.
Individual Notes
Mike Brown continued his stellar offensive play, going 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Brown is 16-of-24 (.667) over the last seven games and has scored 11 runs in the last four games.
Sawyer Carroll ripped his team-leading ninth double, driving in two runs on the play. Carroll also crossed the plate twice.
Carroll also drew two walks in the game to bring his team-leading total to 14.
Sean Coughlin added another four hits and three RBI in five plate appearances for Kentucky. Coughlin has driven in 17 runs over the last five games.
Brock Baber picked up his first win of the season, throwing a career-high tying four innings, giving up two hits and striking out two.
Chris Rusin had a no-decision in tonight?s game, throwing five innings and giving up three runs on four hits. Rusin struck out four and walked three. Rusin remains a perfect 7-0 in his college career.
