LUBBOCK, Texas — Kentucky junior right-handed starting pitcher Alex Meyer – the reigning Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Week – has been honored as part of the National All-Star Lineup, presented by Diamond Sports and announced by the College Baseball Hall of Fame on Thursday afternoon.
The Kentucky standout is coming off a complete-game shutout win over No. 1 Vanderbilt last Friday night, allowing only five singles and one walk, striking out five in UK’s first win over a top-ranked foe since 2007. The Wildcats rode the pitching gem to the 2-0 win, with Meyer earning SEC Pitcher of the Week, and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, CollegeBaseball360.com and College Baseball Hall of Fame national weekly honors.
A 6-foot-9, 220-pounder, Meyer enters the final home start of his junior season on Friday vs. Georgia coming off the best four-game stretch of his career. The native of Greensburg, Ind., has totaled a 1.67 ERA with two complete games in his last four outings. On the year, Meyer leads the SEC in innings pitched (87.2), innings pitched per game (7.31), complete games (four), complete-game shutouts (two) and strikeouts (96).
In his three-year career, Meyer has struck out 239 in 198.1 innings, ranking sixth in UK history, recently passing Scott Wade and Joe Blanton on the career-strikeout listing.
Last Friday, Meyer squared off with Vanderbilt and Dores ace righty Sonny Gray, with Meyer turning in a complete-game outing. He allowed only five singles and didn’t let a runner reach scoring position till the seventh inning, facing only four hitters above the minimum. Meyer’s outing came against a hot-hitting Vandy team that entered the series leading the SEC in average, average in SEC games and on-base percentage.
UK will host Georgia at 6:30 p.m. ET on Friday in the series opener. Meyer will face off with Georgia sophomore right-hander Alex Wood (4-5, 3.95 ERA) in the final home start of his junior season. The Friday and Saturday games with Georgia will be televised live on the Big Blue Sports Network, with Dick Gabriel (play-by-play), MLB Gold Glover Doug Flynn (color), and Brian Milam and Ryan Lemond (sideline) calling the action. The telecasts can be found on FSN South (Insight-Lexington channel 52) and in Central Kentucky on CWKYT-TV (Insight-Lexington channel 5). The three games will also be broadcast live on BBSN, with the Voice of UK Baseball, Neil Price, calling the action. Fans in Central Kentucky can hear the game live on WLAP 630-AM, in Louisville on WKJK 1080-AM and online at UKathletics.com.
