Feb. 13, 2015

Recap | Box Score

Kentucky Baseball

Postgame Notes

UK vs. Ball State

Wilmington, N.C. — Brooks Field

FINAL SCORE: Kentucky 11, Ball State 7

Team Notes

• With the win, Kentucky is 1-0 and with the loss Ball State is 0-1.
• Kentucky is now 60-41-3 all-time in season openers.
  • UK has won four consecutive season lidlifters.
• UK had a starting pitcher make their UK debut in the season opener for the first time since Taylor Rogers in 2010 vs. West Virginia.
• UK head coach
  Gary Henderson
  is now 6-1 in season openers with the Wildcats.
• In the Henderson era, UK is 173-7 (96%) when staked to an eighth-inning lead.
  • In Henderson’s 12 previous years directing the UK pitching staff, the Wildcats are 325-14 (96%) when owning a lead after the eighth inning.
• Kentucky will return to action on Saturday, playing Richmond at 12 p.m. ET at Brooks Field.
  • The game will be broadcast live on the UK Radio Network, with Dick Gabriel voicing the action.
    • Fans in Central Kentucky can hear the game live on Fox Sports 1580-AM or online at UKathletics.com
  • UK’s finale on Sunday at UNC Wilmington has been cancelled by the Seahawks due to potential cold temperatures.

Individual Notes

• Senior
  Thomas Bernal
  made his first career start at third base.
  • Bernal now has 21 multi-hit games in his career.
  • Bernal had his first career three-RBI game and was one off his career high.
• Redshirt junior catcher
  Greg Fettes belted his fourth and fifth career homers and his first since the 2013 season.
  • Fettes is the first UK player with two homers in a game since
    AJ Reed
    had two in 2014 vs. Ole Miss.
  • It was Fettes’ first career multi-homer game.
  • With three hits, Fettes tied his career high, last done on March 2, 2013 vs. Akron.
  • Fettes doubled his previous career high with four RBI.
  • Fettes now has five career multi-homer games.
• Freshman first baseman
  Evan White
  made his first career start.
  • White dropped his first career hit into shallow centerfield with two outs in the third inning.
  • White finished with three hits. 
• Junior
  Kyle Barrett
  made his first career start in centerfield.
  • Barrett now has 23 multi-hit games in his career.
• Junior righty Dustin Beggs made his first career start.
  • Beggs struck out the first hitter he faced as a Wildcat.
  • Beggs season debut was the best for a UK pitcher in an opening-day start since Rogers worked 7.2 innings in 2010.
• Sophomore
  Storm Wilson
  has reached base safely in 40 of his 46 career games.
  • Wilson tied his career high with a two-walk game.
• Junior outfielder Ka’ai Tom has reached base safely in 49 of his 54 career starts.
  • Tom tied his career high with his seventh career three-hit game.
• Sophomore second baseman
  JaVon Shelby hit his fifth career homer.
  • Shelby tied his career high with three hits and three RBI.
• Freshman southpaw
  Zach Logue
  made his collegiate debut, striking out the first hitter he faced on three pitches.
• Redshirt freshman
  Tyler Marshall
  made his UK career.
• Freshman
  Riley Mahan
  made his collegiate debut.
• Sophomore outfielder
  Bryce Bastien
  notched his first career hit.
• Sophomore outfielder
  Marcus Carson
  was hit by fourth career pitch.
• Sophomore lefty
  Logan Salow
  made his season debut.