ATHENS, Ga. — Despite an excellent pitching performance from starter Chris Rusin ? who tossed 5 1/3 innings and left the game with a 2-1 lead, the No. 11 Georgia Bulldogs rallied to claim the series-opening 3-2 win over No. 9 Kentucky, on Friday night in front of 3,253 fans at Foley Field.
Rusin, who held the Bulldogs scoreless through the first five innings, allowed six hits and one run, striking out three before handing the ball over to senior right-hander Aaron Lovett. Lovett came on in the sixth inning and pitched well in relief, taking a hard-luck loss after allowing the two decisive runs in his 2 2/3 innings ? including the unearned game-winning run ? striking out two.
Georgia junior right-hander Trevor Holder edged Rusin in the pitching duel, picking up the win after working seven innings, allowing eight hits and two Wildcat runs, striking out nine.
For the first time since facing Mississippi State on May 13, 2006 the Wildcats did not draw a walk in the game, striking out 12 times. UK was one strikeout shy of matching its season-high of 13 strikeouts in a win over Purdue on March 10.
UGA ace closer Joshua Fields picked up his ninth save of the season, working the final inning ? touching 99 mph on the stadium radar gun ? striking out one. The Georgia bullpen has not allowed an earned run in 36 1/3 consecutive innings. On the year, Fields has worked in 17 games and 16 1/3 innings, striking out 33, giving up only five hits and not allowing an earned run.
The series resumes on Saturday with a 4 p.m. ET first pitch at Foley Field. The game will be broadcast live on FSN, as the SEC Game of the Week, with Larry Conley and Dave Neal calling the game. Fans can hear the game on the Big Blue Sports Network (radio) with the Voice of UK Baseball, Neil Price calling the action. In Lexington, fans can hear the game on WLAP 630-AM and in Louisville on WKJK 1080-AM. UK junior right-hander Scott Green gets the starting nod on Saturday.
With the Wildcats leading 2-1 in the seventh inning and Lovett on the bump, right-fielder Matt Olson led off with a single up the middle. That lead-off single brought Georgia star Gordon Beckham to the dish with no out and a runner on first. As the NCAA leader in home runs and total bases, Beckham had been intentionally walked twice, as well as drawing a four-pitch walk in his first plate appearance of the night. Beckham delivered, sending the first strike he saw on the day screaming down the left-field line, past a diving Chris McClendon at third base. UK leftfielder Keenan Wiley tracked the ball halfway down the line, attempting to make a sliding stop of the ball in an effort to hold Olson at third and maintain the UK lead. The ball skidded behind Wiley, rolling all the way to the wall, allowing the game-tying run to score and Beckham to advance to third. Lovett immediately struck out clean-up hitter Rich Poythress, bringing DH Bryce Massanari to the plate with Beckham at third and one out. Massanari grounded out to Wade at shortstop, bringing home the game-winning run.
After Holder held UK scoreless through the first two innings, UK got an early 1-0 lead on three hits in the third inning. Catcher Marcus Nidiffer ripped a double off the left-field wall, a hard-hit shot that fell just a foot shy of sailing over the fence. Wiley laid down a bunt single and Sawyer Carroll scored Nidiffer with a single to right-field.
Georgia got its first run of the game in the fifth, tying the game 1-1. After Ryan Peisel grounded out to Wade to lead off the inning, Olson doubled to left-centerfield. Poythress scored him with a single through the right side.
Kentucky took the lead in the sixth, getting on run on two hits. Cowgill led off with a single to right-field, extending his hit streak to a team-high 11 games. With two out, Brian Spear hung a fly ball down the left-field line, landing for a double and scoring Cowgill, hustling from first with two out.
