LEXINGTON, Ky. — Having claimed 19 consecutive non-conference games, the No. 17 Kentucky baseball team returns to action on Tuesday, traveling to Cincinnati for a mid-week showdown with the Bearcats. First pitch on Tuesday at Marge Schott Stadium is set for 6:30 p.m. ET.
The game can be heard live on the Big Blue Sports Network (radio) with the Voice of UK Baseball, Neil Price, calling the action. Fans in Lexington can hear the game on WLAP 630-AM and in Louisville on WKJK 1080-AM.
Cincinnati (19-12, 9-3 Big East) is off to an excellent start, streaking with wins in seven of its past nine. UC has five everyday players hitting for an average above .300 and a pitching staff with an excellent 3.75 team ERA. Outfielder Tony Campana, one of the fastest players in college baseball, paces the Bearcats at the plate. Campana leads UC with a .343 average, stealing 25-of-32 bases. Came Satterhit (.336 avg., 3 HR, 18 RBI) and Mike Spina (.304 avg., 5 HR, 27 RBI) have also been a factor at the plate, with Jamel Scott (.313 avg., 1 HR, 18 RBI) serving as an additional burner (25-of-30 stolen bases) to complement Campana.
UC will send Nick Johnson to the mound vs. UK, a right-hander with a 2-1 record and a 3.58 ERA, registering five starts in seven appearances, striking out 12 in 27 2/3 innings. Kentucky will counter with sophomore right-hander Clint Tilford (2-0, 1.25 ERA).
Last weekend the Wildcats traveled to No. 7 Georgia, falling in its first SEC sweep since the 2005 season, a conference best. Georgia rallied in two come-from-behind wins on Friday and Sunday, as well as dropping a 13-4 game on Saturday. UK?s three-game losing streak is its longest since dropping a Sunday game at Mississippi State and a doubleheader with Tennessee.
Kentucky (26-8, 7-8 Southeastern Conference) has not suffered a non-conference loss since a May 9 setback at Evansville in 2007.
UK leads the league in nine offensive categories, including average (.338), slugging (.559), on-base percentage (.437), runs scored (308), RBI (277), total bases (646), hit by pitch (57), sacrifice bunts (40) and sacrifice flies (22). The Wildcats have posted the second best ERA (3.39) in the conference. UK ranks second in the league defensively, posting a .976 fielding percentage.
Two of Kentucky?s National Player of the Year Award candidates, Collin Cowgill and Sawyer Carroll, have paced the Wildcats at the plate. Carroll leads the league in average (.456) hitting 13 doubles, a triple, 10 homers and an SEC high 48 RBI, swiping 6-of-6 bags. Cowgill has totaled a .375 average, ripping 10 doubles, two triples, a team-best 12 homers, 39 RBI, drawing a club-high 28 walks, stealing 15-of-18 bases. Ryan Wilkes (.373 avg., 7 2B, 5 HR, 16 RBI), Chris McClendon (.357 avg., 2 HR, 17 RBI), Chris Wade (.333, 13 2B, 4 HR, 35 RBI) and Brian Spear (.291, 11 2B, 6 HR, 29 RBI) have formed one of the best infield combinations in the conference.
The Wildcats lead the series with Cincinnati, 51-28-2, including claiming just a 14-15-1 mark in Cincinnati. Last year, UK claimed the lone meeting, 21-7 in Lexington.
UK dropped from as high as No. 9 to No. 23 in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Poll and the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll. Baseball America bumped UK from No. 17 to No. 25. In the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Assocation poll, UK fell from No. 9 to No. 17.
John Cohen Call-In Show Tonight
LEXINGTON, Ky. — The John Cohen call-in radio show airs tonight at 8 p.m. ET. The Voice of UK Baseball, Neil Price will host the 30 minute show. Filling in for Cohen will be assistant coach and recruiting guru Brad Bohannon, UK’s energetic third base coach.
Fans wising to call in to the show can do so locally at 859-367-6154, or by using a toll-free number, 1-800-249-CATS (2287).
