LEXINGTON, Ky. — One of the two quickest teams in the nation to total 20 wins, the No. 8 Kentucky baseball team returns to action on Tuesday, hosting Xavier in a mid-week tilt. First pitch at Cliff Hagan Stadium is set for 4 p.m. ET.
Kentucky (20-2, 4-2 Southeastern Conference) sits in second place in the powerful SEC Eastern division after sweeping Alabama to open the SEC season and then dropping two games of a series at Auburn over the weekend. The Wildcats fell on Friday and Saturday to Auburn, before rebounding to salvage the series with a drama-filled 9-8 win on Sunday. With the win, UK kept a streak alive of not allowing a sweep in an SEC series since 2005, one of only two schools in the league to boast such an accomplishment.
Fans can catch the action live on the Big Blue Sports Network (radio), with the Voice of UK Baseball, Neil Price calling the action. In Lexington the game can be heard on WKJK 1580-AM and in Louisville on WKJK 1080-AM.
The Wildcats have utilized a high-powered offense and a veteran pitching staff to open the season. For the second consecutive year, UK opened 19-0, with the Wildcats coming just a win shy of taking sole ownership of the school record for the longest winning streak.
On the year, UK leads the SEC in 11-of-17 offensive categories, as well as ranking among the NCAA leaders in several categories. The Wildcats lead the league in batting average (.354), slugging percentage (.589), on-base percentage (.460), runs scored (228), RBI (206), doubles (66), total bases (441), walks (121), hit by pitch (39), sacrifice bunts (28) and sacrifice flies (14). On the mound, UK leads the league in ERA (2.41), ranking as the only team in the league to have a sub-3.00 ERA.
Nationally, UK ranks second in on-base percentage, third in slugging, fourth in OPS (1.050), fifth in batting average, fourth in runs scored, sixth in hits, second in doubles, seventh in total bases, eight in walks, and fourth in RBI.
Individually, Sawyer Carroll ranks as the league leader in on-base percentage (.596), second in slugging (.909), second in batting average (.494), and tied for first with 33 RBI. Collin Cowgill ranks second in runs scored (29), freshman shortstop Chris Wade is second in doubles (10), Brian Spear leads the league in walks (20), and Tyler Howe ranks as the conference leader in hit by pitches (12). Cowgill also ranks second in the league in stolen bases, swiping 13 bags on the year. On the bump, Scott Green ranks fifth in strikeouts (37), despite not appearing in the top 10 in the conference in innings pitched.
UK opened its season with a 10-1 win over Xavier on Feb. 23 in Mobile, Ala., the first game of the Coca-Cola Classic, hosted by the University of South Alabama. On Thursday, UK edged Xavier 12-1 at Cliff Hagan Stadium, in a game that served as a make-up contest for games missed this season due to inclement weather. In the last meeting, UK pounded out a season-high five home runs, including two from Spear.
The Wildcats lead the all-time series with Xavier, 26-8, claiming the past seven meetings between the two schools.
After ranking as high as No. 2 last week, UK fell slightly in the rankings, dropping to No. 8 (Collegiate Baseball), No. 14 (USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll), No. 18 (Baseball America) and No. 20 (Rivals.com).
Tuesday?s game will mark another installment of the UK promotion Two-for-Tuesday?s, where fans can mention the promotion at the ticket window to receive complimentary admission for one with the purchase of one ticket.
Records
Kentucky ? 20-2, 4-2 SEC
Xavier ? 6-9, 2-0 Atlantic-10
Rankings
Kentucky ? No. 8 (Collegiate Baseball), No. 18 (Baseball America), No. 14 (USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll), No. 20 (Rivals.com)
Xavier ? not ranked
Schedule (times Eastern and subject to change) ? Lexington, Ky.
Tuesday, March 25 * 4 p.m.
Radio (BBSN with Neil Price)
Tuesday, March 25
WXRA 1580-AM in Lexington
WKJK 1080-AM in Louisville
Video
UKathletics.com Extreme Access
$69.95: a one-time fee for a year of Extreme Access
$9.95: three-day pass
Tentative Pitching Matchups
Tuesday vs. Xavier
RHP Clint Tilford (2-0, 0.82 ERA) vs. TBA
Stadium
Cliff Hagan Stadium (3,000)
Parking
Parking at Cliff Hagan Stadium is free.
Parking will be available in the C8 lot behind Shively Sports Center and brand-new Parking Structure 7 on the corner of Complex Drive and Jerry Claiborne Way.
Fans who park in the PS7 lot will be given a parking value card to exit the structure free of charge. Value cards should be picked up at the baseball ticket booth prior to the 5th inning.
Tickets
SINGLE GAME TICKET PRICES
$5 – General Admission Seating – Adults
$2 – General Admission Seating – Kids/Seniors
SEASON TICKET PRICES
$35 General Admission
