LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Kentucky baseball team wraps up the regular season with its final three-game Southeastern Conference set, as it plays host to the Auburn Tigers, beginning on Thursday at 7 p.m. EDT at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
?I feel like our kids are playing hard and really competing,? Kentucky head coach John Cohen said. ?This series with Auburn is extremely important and we have to come out focused, prepared, and with tremendous energy. Auburn is a good club who can really run the bases and defend the field, plus they have one of the best coaches in the nation in Tom Slater. We are really hoping that we can get the Big Blue Nation and the community to come out and support theses kids who really battle and lay in on the line for the University of Kentucky.?
Kentucky (33-17-1, 12-14 SEC) enters the weekend action in eighth place overall in the SEC. The Wildcats, who won the first SEC Championship in school history a year ago, are fighting for a spot in the SEC Tournament in Hoover, Ala., which only takes the top eight teams in the league.
Auburn (29-24, 8-19 SEC) enters the series fresh off a Sunday win over No. 1 Vanderbilt. The Tigers are merely one win shy of claiming its 22nd 30-win season in the last 30 years. Offensively, Auburn has been a blur on the basepaths, leading the SEC in stolen bases with 54, 21 more then the next highest club. The Tigers have been led by catcher Josh Donaldson (.338, 10 HR, 49 RBI) and senior outfielder Mike Bianucci (.315, 14 HR, 47 RBI).
UK, who clinched just its second 30-win season since the 1991-94 seasons, enters weekend showdown fresh off a thrilling series win over No. 18 Ole Miss in Oxford. The Wildcats captured the series opener with a dominating 8-1 performance behind left-handed starter Chris Rusin. Rusin, who was named SEC Pitcher of the Week on Monday, worked his second career complete game, striking out four and allowing no earned runs. UK dropped the second game of the series before rebounding for the series win on Sunday. The Wildcats got an excellent pitching performance from preseason All-American Greg Dombrowski, who worked 6 2/3 innings before handing the ball over the junior Aaron Lovett, who picked up his team-best sixth save of the season.
The Wildcats lead the SEC in several offensive categories, including runs scored (440), on-base percentage (.438), RBI (400), triples (22), walks (300), and sacrifice bunts (65). UK?s holds a commanding advantage in the sacrifice bunts category, holding 27 more then the next closest team. Ryan Wilkes owns the school career (29) and single season (13) records for sacrifice bunts, including leading the league in the category.
Among the individual leaders for the Wildcat club are seniors Mike Brown and Sean Coughlin. Brown leads the league in runs scored with 65, while posting a team high .375 average. Coughlin ranks tops in the SEC with 68 RBI, including a team-best 12 home runs. First baseman Sawyer Carroll leads the league in doubles, cranking out 21 two baggers. Junior Brian Spear ranks on top of the league in walks, with 46. Spear is merely two walks shy of the single-season school record for bases on balls. Junior centerfielder Antone DeJesus leads the SEC in hit by pitches, tallying 19.
The Thursday and Saturday games will be televised live by the Big Blue Sports Network. Dick Gabriel will handle play-by-play duties and will be joined in the booth by former UK standout and Major League Gold Glove winner Doug Flynn on Thursday and former Wildcat coach Keith Madison on Saturday. Fans can see the games on Thursday live throughout the south on Fox Sports South and delayed locally at 10 p.m. EDT on CWKYT (Insight channel 5). Saturday?s game will be live on both CWKYT and on Fox Sports South in Kentucky and Alabama.
Fans in Lexington (WLAP 630-AM) can catch the action live on the radio with the Voice of UK Baseball, Neil Price calling the action. Fans can communicate with Neil by emailing him questions and comments via the bigblueinbox@gmail.com.
Team Records
Kentucky (33-17-1, 12-14-1 SEC) vs. Auburn (29-24, 8-19 SEC)
Date/Time
Thursday, May 17 * 7 p.m. EDT [BBSN]
Friday, May 18 * 6:30 p.m. EDT
Saturday, May 19 * 1 p.m. EDT [BBSN]
Stadium
Cliff Hagan Stadium (3,000)
Television
Thursday, May 17 * 7 p.m. EDT * Big Blue Sports Network with Dick Gabriel and Doug Flynn
Locally on CWKYT (Insight Channel 5) delayed at 10 p.m.
Live regionally on Fox Sports South
Saturday, May 19 * 1 p.m. EDT * Big Blue Sports Network with Dick Gabriel and Keith Madison
Locally live on CWKYT (Insight Channel 5)
Live on Fox Sports South throughout Kentucky and Alabama
Radio (Big Blue Sports Network with Neil Price)
Thursday: WLAP 630-AM
Friday: WLAP 630-AM
Saturday: WLAP 630-AM
Series Record
Kentucky trails the all-time series, 62-36 ? Last season, Kentucky lost the series at Auburn ? Kentucky won the Friday game, before dropping the Saturday and Sunday contest.
Promotions
Thursday, May 17 – Auburn
Kentucky Baseball Salutes the Armed Forces – Free Admission for all active duty, guard and reserve members and veterans of the United States Armed Forces and their family (please present your Department of Defense, Veterans Service Organization or VA Photo Identification at the ticket window)
National Anthem sung by Captain Robert Geary, Kentucky Air National Guard
Color Guard 138th Field Artillery Kentucky Army National Guard
Ceremonial First Pitch thrown out by Major Tamara Hurst Kentucky National Guard ? just returned from Iraq on May 3rd from a one year tour
Ceremonial First Pitch thrown by Miss Kentucky Rachelle Phillips
Weather permitting, inflatable games will be set up one hour prior to first pitch
Friday, May 18 – Auburn
Senior Night – Join us as we honor the 2007 Senior Class
Weather permitting, inflatable games will be set up one hour prior to first pitch
Saturday, May 19 – Auburn
Chick-fil-A Junior Wildcat Day and Scratch?s Birthday
Baseball Helmet Sundaes ? the first 300 to order will get theirs for just $2
Weather permitting, inflatable games will be set up one hour prior to first pitch
Parking
Parking at Cliff Hagan Stadium is free and will be available in the R lot adjacent to the stadium, in addition to the regular C-8 lot behind Shively Training Center. Parking attendants will be in place to direct fans to the proper lots.
Tickets
SINGLE GAME TICKET PRICES
$5 – General Admission Seating – Adults
$2 – General Admission Seating – Kids/Seniors
Pitching Matchups
Thursday
UK: Chris Rusin (So., LHP) 5-3, 4.26 ERA, 82.1 IP, 82 H, 46 R, 39 ER, 33 BB, 73 SO
AU: Evan Crawford (So., LHP) 4-6, 5.95 ERA, 62.0 IP, 81 H, 52 R, 41 ER, 28 BB, 41 SO
Friday
UK: Andrew Albers (Jr., LHP) 6-4, 4.84 ERA, 70.2 IP, 89 H, 45 R, 38 ER, 15 BB, 50 SO
AU: Taylor Thompson (Fr., RHP) 4-2, 5.77 ERA, 57.2 IP, 77 H, 43 R, 37 ER, 30 BB, 51 SO
Saturday
UK: Greg Dombrowski (Jr., RHP) 5-2, 5.21 ERA, 65.2 IP, 95 H, 47 R, 38 ER, 8 BB, 46 SO
AU: TBA
