March 30, 2015
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Fresh off its second consecutive series win over a top-20 foe, the Kentucky baseball team will return home to host a four-game stretch, welcoming Indiana for a Tuesday matchup in non-conference play, with first pitch slated for 4 p.m. at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
The game will be broadcast live on SEC Network+, with Dick Gabriel and Keith Madison voicing the action. The game will also be live on the UK Radio Network with Neil Price calling the game, available in Lexington on Fox Sports 1580-AM and online at UKathletics.com.
The Hoosiers will start Christian Morris (2-0, 5.04 ERA) in the game with the Wildcats, who have not yet announced a starting pitcher. Morris has tossed 30.1 innings in six starts, allowing 38 hits and only four walks, striking out 20.
Kentucky (18-10, 4-5 Southeastern Conference) is coming off a five-game week that was highlighted by a historic series win at No. 1 LSU in an improbable three-game set at Alex Box Stadium. UK posted a win in the opener on Friday in 12 innings, 5-4, before falling on a decisive inside the park home run in the eighth inning on Saturday, tying the game with an inside the parker with two outs in the ninth inning, before winning it in the 11th inning to claim the series.
The Wildcats have hit .299 with a .400 slugging and a .386 on-base percentage, belting 13 homers and stealing 38 bases. UK has a 4.33 team ERA in 255.2 innings, walking 91, striking out 204 and holding opponents to a .255 average.
Individually, UK has been paced at the plate by junior centerfielder and leadoff man Kyle Barrett, who has a .387 average with a SEC-leading 48 hits. Barrett has six doubles, one homer, 15 RBI and seven steals. Ka’ai Tom has charted a .377 mark with nine doubles, one triple, two homers and 30 RBI, stealing 10 bases. Freshman first baseman Evan White — who had four hits in the finale Sunday — has hit .317 with four doubles, one triple, one homer and 15 RBI. Catcher Zach Arnold has a .300 average, while second baseman JaVon Shelby has charted a .298 mark with six doubles, one triple, two homers and 21 RBI. Third baseman Thomas Bernal has a .287 mark with five doubles and 19 RBI. Riley Mahan has a .286 average with four doubles, one triple, one homer and eight RBI. Shortstop Connor Heady has hit .237 with a pair of doubles, a homer and eight RBI. Storm Wilson has a .236 mark with a pair of doubles and triples, a homer and 10 RBI. Greg Fettes has a team-high three homers in 22 games, with Marcus Carson hitting .234 with a pair of doubles.
UK has used the weekend rotation of Zack Brown (2-2, 2.47 ERA) on Friday, junior righty Dustin Beggs (3-2, 3.09 ERA) on Saturday and junior right-hander Kyle Cody (2-2, 5.45 ERA) on Sunday. In relief, Spencer Jack (1-0, 3.27 ERA) has four saves in 12 games, with Zach Strecker (2-0, 3.77 ERA) and Andrew Nelson (2-1, 4.05 ERA) each appearing in 12 games. Zach Logue (1-1, 5.49 ERA), Logan Salow (1-1, 8.18 ERA) and Dylan Dwyer (2-0, 2.45 ERA) have each appeared in at least nine .
To open last weekend, the Wildcats posted a thrilling 5-4 win at LSU in the opener on Friday in 12 innings, getting a game-winning two-RBI double with two outs from Ka’ai Tom in the top of the final frame, with relievers Zach Strecker and Spencer Jack turning in heroic performances, with Strecker earning the win and Jack his fourth save. UK took LSU into the eighth inning on Saturday in a 2-2 game, before an inside-the park, three-run home run led to a five-run inning and a 7-3 win to even the series. The finale continued a wild series, with the lead changing hands or tied eight times. Down to its last out in the ninth inning, UK pinch hitter Riley Mahan lined a sinking fly ball into shallow leftfield, with the outfielder attempting a diving play, the fielder backing up the play slipped and Mahan slide in for the game-tying inside-the-park home run. UK fought through extra innings and a time curfew that forced the game to finish by the SEC travel curfew the 11th inning, Greg Fettes — who came in to catch in the ninth — belted a go-ahead homer and a Marcus Carson bunt single and two-out RBI knock from Tom gave UK a 12-10 lead it would hold behind 3.2 innings in relief from Jack for the win. It marked UK’s first series win at LSU since 2007, its second in program history, and the first series win over a No. 1 ranked team on the road in UK annals.
Last Tuesday, UK suffered the loss at Western Kentucky in a game that was played at the Bowling Green Ballpark. UK bounced back on Wednesday with a 9-4 win that was highlighted by Storm Wilson’s first homer of the year and the first career win for Taylor Martin.
Indiana (16-8, 1-4 B1G) is coming off a series sweep at the hands of Iowa over the weekend, despite earning a midweek 3-0 win over Louisville in Bloomington, Ind. The Hoosiers suffered a 2-0 loss in the opener at Iowa, before falling 5-1 in the second game and 10-6 in the finale.
IU has hit .276 as a team with a .394 slugging and a .350 on-base percentage, stealing 25 bases. The Hoosiers have a .958 fielding percentage, turning 13 double plays and throwing out six runners trying to steal. On the mound, IU has a sparkling 2.87 team ERA in 216.2 innings, allowing 191 hits and only 48 walks, striking out 203.
At the plate, the Hoosiers have been led by Craig Dedelow, who has hit .351 with seven doubles, two homers and 15 RBI. Scott Donley has a .312 average with three doubles, one homer and 13 RBI. Austin Cangelosi has a .307 mark with five doubles, two triples, three homers and 10 RBI. Will Nolden has a .263 mark, Casey Rodrigue has hit .260 with three homers and 19 RBI and Logan Sowers has a .259 mark with one homer and 11 RBI.
In the bullpen for IU, Luke Harrison (2-0, 0.95 ERA) has appeared in 12 games with three saves in 19 innings, walking only four and striking out 25 in 19 innings. Ryan Halstead (0-1, 4.11 ERA) has five saves in 13 games, with Austin Forte (1-0, 4.00 ERA) also appearing in 13 games. Thomas Belcher (2-0, 0.73 ERA) has added 10 appearances in relief, striking out 26 without a walk in 24.2 innings.
Records
Kentucky: 18-10
Indiana: 16-8
Schedule (times Eastern and subject to change) — Lexington, Ky.
Tuesday, March 30 * vs. Indiana * 4 p.m.
Television (SEC Network+ with Dick Gabriel and Keith Madison)
SEC Network+ and WatchESPN
Radio (UK Radio Network)
Tuesday: Fox Sports 1580-AM in Lexington
Internet Coverage
Live audio and stats on UKathletics.com
Tentative Pitching Matchups
Tuesday vs. Indiana
TBA vs. Jr., RHP Christian Morris (2-0, 5.04 ERA)
Stadium
Cliff Hagan Stadium (3,000)
Parking
Free gameday parking is available in the C-8 lot beyond rightfield or in the E lot adjacent to Cliff Hagan Stadium. The C-8 lot will be filled on a first come, first served basis. Once C-8 is filled, vehicles will be directed to park in the E lot next to Cliff Hagan Stadium. After the E lot is full, a limited amount of parking will be available in Parking Structure No. 7 on the ground floor. If you’re parking in PS#7, please exchange your ticket for a pink payment voucher at the ticket booth, prior to the end of the fourth inning. Additionally, overflow parking will be available in the smaller E lots close to Cooper Dr., as well as the C-6 lot at Commonwealth Stadium. All fans are asked to please follow the signage provided to the nearest parking location.
Tickets
SINGLE GAME TICKET PRICES
$5 – General Admission Seating – Adults
$2 – General Admission Seating – Kids/Seniors
SEASON TICKET PRICES
$35 General Admission
$55 Reserved Seating
