LEXINGTON, Ky. ? Sean Coughlin went 3-for-5 with four runs scored and three RBI Wednesday as Kentucky held off Canisius for a 12-10 win at Cliff Hagan Stadium. The two teams combined for 22 runs and 28 hits in UK?s final tune-up before Southeastern Conference play begins.
The Wildcats (19-0), who extended their school-record winning streak to 19 games and the nation?s longest home regular-season win streak to 29 games, benefited from a John Cohen-era record six hit batters and coaxed nine walks for the second consecutive game.
Coughlin and Ryan Wilkes accounted for the majority of the Kentucky offense, which again got on the board early with 11 runs in the game?s first three innings. Wilkes connected on his first home run of the season and tied a career high with five RBI in the game.
Kentucky starter Clint Tilford was chased from the mound after giving up five runs in the opening inning-and-a-third. Reliever Dewayne Oxford improved to 3-0 with the win, working 1 2/3 innings in relief of Tilford, allowing three runs and two hits. Aaron Lovett earned his first save of the season, toiling the final inning as he, Tyler Henry and Brock Baber combined to pitch a scoreless final three innings.
Entering the game with a four-run cushion, Canisius starter Bryan Smith lasted just 2/3 of an inning after allowing four runs. Reliever Matt Weber took the loss, giving up eight runs and walking five in 4 1/3 innings of work. Dan Clifford pitched the final three innings, allowing only two hits.
Senior Mike Brown went 1-for-3 at the plate and drew two walks, coming around to touch home three times. The Davis, Calif. native is now batting 27-for-56 (.587) with 24 runs scored over his last 11 games.
Kentucky begins SEC play with a three-game set with No. 9 Arkansas beginning Friday at Cliff Hagan Stadium at 6:30 p.m. EDT. Getting the nod for UK on Friday will be sophomore southpaw Chris Rusin to face off with Razorback ace lefty Nick Schmidt.
Post Game Notes
Team Records and Series Notes
Kentucky?s 19-0 start is the best in school history and ranks as the longest winning streak in school annals.
Kentucky has now won 29 consecutive games at Cliff Hagan Stadium, the longest home winning streak in college baseball and in school history.
Kentucky?s 19-game win streak ranks as the best in school history.
The Wildcats now lead the all-time series with the Golden Griffins 2-0 after sweeping the two-game set.
With the loss, Canisius falls to 4-12.
Kentucky returns to action Friday when it opens Southeastern Conference play against Arkansas. The three-game set commences with first pitch at 6:30 p.m. EDT Friday. The game will be carried live on WXRA 1580 AM with Neil Price.
Team Notes
The Wildcats have now plated 234 runs in just 19 games, after setting the school record with 500 runs scored during 2006.
The six hit by pitches is a John Cohen era record eclipsing the mark set last year against Northwestern when Wildcat batters were hit five times.
The Wildcats coaxed nine walks for the second consecutive game and worked nine or more walks for the eighth time this season.
Kentucky has had 10 or more hits in 14 of 18 games.
The Wildcats have tallied 12 or more hits each in eight consecutive games.
UK charted double-digit runs for the 12th time this season and the fourth time in five games.
The 10 runs that Kentucky allowed Canisius was a season-high.
The Wildcats committed a season-high four errors.
Individual Notes
Ryan Wilkes tied a career high with five RBI. He also plated five runs against Wisconsin-Milwaukee on March 2.
Brian Spear was hit by a pitch three times in the game, tying a John Cohen era record.
Mike Brown continued his hot hitting, going 2-for-4 at the plate. Over the last 11 games, Brown is batting .587 (27-for-46) with 24 runs, six doubles and 15 RBI.
Relief pitcher Aaron Lovett earned his first save of the season.
Brock Baber kept his perfect ERA in tact this season, pitching 1 1/3 innings and not allowing a run. He has hurled 7.1 innings this season without allowing a run.
