Nov. 11, 2013
LEXINGTON, Ky. — After losing the opener of the Kentucky baseball fall world series to the blue squad, the black team rallied to win the final two games of the three-game series to claim the intrasquad scrimmage series, concluding the UK fall practice season.
After Blue used a walk-off single from Matt Reida for a 9-8 win in the series opener on Thursday afternoon, Black rallied on Friday afternoon for a 9-3 win, getting a seven-run inning in the fifth for the difference. In the finale on Sunday, Black got a four-run inning in the bottom of the sixth, including the game-winning RBI from Max Kuhn, to post a 6-5 win over Blue in the decisive tilt.
Overall in the series, Blue was led by a .545 average (6-for-11) from sophomore outfielder Kyle Barrett, a 2013 All-SEC Freshman Team selection. Dorian Hairston hit .571 (4-for-7) with two doubles, with Tyler Tipton batting .500 (4-for-8). Senior shortstop Matt Reida had a team-leading six RBI, batting .364 (4-for-11) with three doubles. A.J. Reed belted two homers in his three hits.
Black was paced in the series by All-America centerfielder Austin Cousino, who went 5-for-11 (.455) with a homer and three RBI, stealing two bases. Catcher Michael Thomas hit .444 (4-for-9) with three RBI and four walks, with Greg Fettes batting .400 (2-for-5) with a homer and three walks. Jacob Russell hit .364 (4-for-11) with a double and two RBI, with freshman Connor Heady owning a .333 average (3-for-9) with a homer and three RBI. Kuhn led the team with seven RBI, going 3-for-10 with a double.
SEVEN-RUN FIFTH LEADS BLACK TO SERIES-EVENING WIN
A seven-run inning in the bottom of the fifth proved to be the difference for the Black team in a 9-3 win over Blue, on Friday afternoon at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
Blue rallied for a 3-2 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth inning. Black then mounted a seven-run rally in the bottom of the frame for the 9-3 win. Black started freshman righty Robert Zeigler, who worked four innings, allowing one run.
Offensively, Blue was led by a two-run homer from sophomore A.J. Reed, who went 1-for-3 at the dish. Blue also got hits from Kyle Barrett, Tyler Tipton, Marcus Carson and Tyler Marshall, with Zach Arnold belting a double.
Black was paced at the plate by Austin Cousino, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a walk, stealing a base. Max Kuhn went 1-for-3 with two RBI, with the club also getting a two-walk game from Greg Fettes. Jacob Russell also went 2-for-4 with Micheal Thomas, Storm Wilson and Troy Squires each adding a RBI and a hit.
KUHN’S GAME-WINNING HIT LIFTS BLACK TO FALL WORLD SERIES WIN
Trailing 5-4 in the bottom of the final inning, junior third baseman Max Kuhn smacked a two-run single to lift the Black squad to a 6-5 win over the Blue, clinching the three-game fall world series in the decisive third game, on Sunday afternoon at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
Blue opened the game with a run in the second, taking a 5-1 lead into the bottom of the fifth inning after two-run frames in the fourth and fifth. Black got a run back in the fifth, before exploding for the game-winning four-run frame in the bottom of the sixth inning, punctuated by a two-run single from Kuhn.
At the plate, Black got a 1-for-3, three-RBI game from Kuhn. Greg Fettes launched a homer as part of a 2-for-2 game with a walk. Austin Cousino went 1-for-2 with two walks and steal, with Micheal Thomas and Storm Wilson adding hits. Jacob Russell went 2-for-3 with a double.
Blue collected 10 hits, with Kyle Barrett, Dorian Hairston and Marcus Carson getting two hits each, with each player charting a double. Matt Reida, Bryce Bastien, Zach Arnold and Tyler Tipton each notched a hit.
