ANN ARBOR, Mich. — With No. 24 Kentucky trailing the 13th-ranked Michigan Wolverines 5-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning, play has been postponed due to threatening weather, with the game due to resume on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. ET.
Play was suspended with runners on first and second, two out and a 3-1 count on U-M third baseman Adam Abraham.
Depending on the outcome of the UK-UM game, Kentucky would play at 2 p.m. ET or 7 p.m. ET on Saturday. With a loss, UK would face Eastern Michigan at 2 p.m. and with a win, the Wildcats would face No. 1 seeded Arizona at 7 p.m.
Michigan chased Kentucky starter Chris Rusin from the game in the second inning, the shortest outing of his career. Rusin lasted 1.1 innings, allowing three hits and five runs ? all earned ? walking two and throwing just 24 pitches. After not dressing for the Southeastern Conference Tournament last weekend due to a bicep injury, Rusin, a first-team All-SEC selection, appeared to be limited by the injury on the mound at Wilpon Complex. Rusin?s previous shortest outing of his career came in 2007, when the then-sophomore tossed four innings against Auburn. Rusin?s shortest outing of 2008 came vs. Florida, going 4.1 frames.
Aaron Lovett relieved Rusin in the second, pitching 3.1 innings and allowing two hits and no runs on 58 pitches.
In the game so far, Keenan Wiley leads UK with two hits, with Chris McClendon Ryan Wilkes, Brian Spear and Tyler Howe each adding a hit.
Michigan ace starter Zach Putnam (8-0, 2.64 ERA) has tossed five innings, allowing six hits and one run, walking two and striking out four. Putnam has thrown 69 pitches.
Kentucky got on the board first in the second inning, as Wilkes led off with a bunt single, moving to second after Spear singled through the right side. Wade laid down his 19th sac bunt of the season ? a school record ? and Howe scored Wilkes with an RBI single. With runners on first and third, Putnam executed a fake to first, throw to third pick-off move, nabbing Spear at third. Nidiffer struck out looking to end the threat.
Michigan took the lead with five runs in its half of the second inning, chasing Rusin from the game. After issuing Putnam a lead off walk, Adam Abraham connected with a grounder while Putnam was in motion at first. With Wilkes breaking to cover second base, the ball squeaked through the infield, moving Putnam to third. Kevin Cislo hung a sac fly into centerfield to score Putnam and Derek VanBurskirk and Chris Berset singled, with Berset?s coming as an RBI variety. Ryan LaMarre drew a walk and Jason Christian doubled into the gap, scoring two. With one out and a runner on third, Leif Mahler laid down a squeeze bunt, scoring LaMarre.
