LEXINGTON, Ky. — Freshman shortstop Chris Wade launched a grand slam over the left-center field fence in the sixth inning, breaking open a 2-1 game, to lead the No. 4 Kentucky baseball team to a 6-1 win over the Purdue Boilermakers in game one of a twinbill, on Monday afternoon at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
Wade launched his third homer of the season, busting open what had been a pitching duel through the first five frames. Wade, who extended his hit streak to a team-high 10 games, has hit homers in two consecutive games. Wade finished the day 1-for-2 with four RBI.
On the mound, UK starter Greg Dombrowski worked six innings, allowing just one run and striking out a career-high tying seven. Dombrowski, a member of the national pitcher of the year watch list, made his third start of the year, picking up the win. Purdue starter Tony Sedlmeyer, a 2007 Freshman All-America selection, lasted 2 2/3 innings, allowing four hits and two runs, striking out three.
Kentucky (12-0) got a multi-hit performance from senior first baseman Brian Spear. Six other Wildcats charted hits in the contest, with Keenan Wiley extending his hit streak to a team-high 10 games. Bryan Rose, Chris McClendon, Ryan Wilkes, and Collin Cowgill all added hits.
Kentucky and Purdue wrap up the series with the second game of the twinbill at Cliff Hagan Stadium, 30 minutes following game one. The game can be heard live on the Big Blue Sports Network (radio), with the Voice of UK Baseball, Neil Price calling the action.
Purdue (0-8) got the lead first in the third inning, plating one run on four consecutive hits. Brandon Haveman reached on a two-out double into left field. Ryne White, the 2007 Big Ten batting champion, followed with an RBI single through the left side, with two outs. After third baseman Dan Black singled to put runners on first and second, Drew Madia ripped a line-drive single right at a charging Collin Cowgill in centerfield. Cowgill came up firing, launching a rope right to the catcher Marcus Nidiffer, who applied to tag to get UK out of the inning.
Kentucky, which moved up to No. 4 in the latest Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Poll on Monday, answered in the bottom of the third, plating two runs on two hits and walk, scoring the go-ahead run in a dramatic, bases-loaded stealing attempt by Wiley. Wiley led off the inning with a single to center field and Spear followed with a double deep into left field. Carroll drew his 11th walk of the season to load the bases. After an low ball missed to Ryan Wilkes, Wiley waited until Purdue?s catcher Eric Nielsen tossed the ball lackadaisically back to the pitcher. As soon as Nielsen released the ball, Wiley took off from third base, colliding with Nielsen just before the ball arrived back from the pitcher. Due to the collision Wiley had not touched home plate, scampering around Nielson to touch home, who was searching for the ball that was fumbled due to the impact with Wiley.
In the sixth inning UK broke it wide open, as Wilkes led off with a single and Chris McClendon followed, attempting to lay down a bunt to move Wilkes to second. McClendon laid a bunt that was fielded by Purdue lefty Matt Jansen, who bobbled the ball for an error, allowing Wilkes to move to second. After Marcus Nidiffer laid down a bunt to move the runners into scoring position, pinch hitter Spencer Korus drew a walk to load the bases. UK?s nine-hole hitter and freshman shortstop followed, ripping an offering over the left-center field fence, for his third homer of the season. The grand slam was UK?s first of the season.
