LEXINGTON, Ky. — The No. 8 Kentucky baseball team returns to action with a mid-week showdown with state rival Morehead State, Wednesday at Cliff Hagan Stadium. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. EDT.
The Wildcats (23-2-1, 3-2-1 Southeastern Conference) are off to the best 26-game start in the 103-year history of the Kentucky baseball program. UK opened its season running off 19 consecutive wins, before dropping the SEC opener to now No. 7 Arkansas. Kentucky currently stands half a game back from a three-way tie for first place in the SEC East.
UK has been paced by a potent lineup, led by seniors Mike Brown and Sean Coughlin. Brown leads the team and the SEC in batting average (.482) while scoring a league high 38 times. Brown also paces the nation in on-base percentage, reaching at a .596 clip.
Brown is not the only Wildcat to lead the NCAA, as Coughlin leads the nation in RBI with 47 through just 26 games. Last season, SEC Player of the Year Ryan Strieby set the school record with 77 RBI. Through 26 games a year ago, Strieby had driven in 38 runs. On his current pace Coughlin, a catcher from Morrison, Colo., would drive in an astonishing 101 RBI.
Kentucky took the game with the Eagles last year at Cliff Hagan Stadium, 15-4. UK leads the all-time series with Morehead, 39-24.
Morehead State (4-18, 0-3 Ohio Valley) will send freshman right-hander Chase Huffman to the bump on Wednesday. Kentucky has not yet named a starting pitcher.
Wednesday’s game marks another installment of UK’s Website Wednesday’s promotion, where fans can visit UKathletics.com before the game to print off a special admission coupon.
TEAM RECORDS
No. 8 Kentucky Wildcats (23-2-1, 3-2-1 SEC) vs. Morehead State (4-18, 0-3 OVC)
DATES/TIMES
Wednesday, March 27 ? 6:30 p.m. EDT
STADIUM
Cliff Hagan Stadium (3,000)
KENTUCKY IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
No. 8 by Collegiate Baseball
No. 16 by USA Today/ESPN
No. 13 by National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association
No. 22 by Baseball America
RADIO (Big Blue Sports Network with Neil Price)
Wednesday: WLAP 630-AM
SERIES RECORD
UK leads, 39-24
PITCHING MATCHUPS
Wednesday
UK? TBA
MSU ? Fr. RHP Chase Huffman (0-2, 15.09 ERA, 11.1 IP, 18 BB, 9 SO)
