May 14, 2015
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Zack Brown hurled a complete-game shutout on just 100 pitches, surrendering just four singles, pacing Kentucky to a 1-0 win over Missouri in the series opener, on a cloudy Thursday night at Taylor Stadium.
Kentucky (29-23, 13-14 Southeastern Conference) rode the dominating performance from Brown (6-5) to the series-opening win. The Wildcats got the go-ahead RBI from catcher Greg Fettes in the fifth inning, with Brown settling in to retire 10 consecutive hitters after getting the lead. A native of Seymour, Ind. Brown worked around four singles, with leadoff knocks in the fourth and sixth innings, a two-out hit in the fourth and a one-out base knock in the ninth inning.
Brown needed just 100 pitches to post the shutout win, his second complete-game shutout and his third complete game of the year. Brown’s 100-pitch shutout is the fewest pitches for a UK pitcher in a shutout win since Logan Darnell blanked San Diego on just 96 pitches in 2010. Brown lowered his ERA to 3.31 in 89.2 innings and without a start vs. No. 6 Vanderbilt where he allowed 10 runs in seven innings, Brown would sport a 2.50 ERA.
The Wildcats collected eight hits in the game, with Ka’ai Tom charting a two-hit game. Fettes delivered the RBI knock in a 1-for-3 game, with UK also getting hits from Kyle Barrett, JaVon Shelby, Dorian Hairston and Thomas Bernal. UK’s scoring was started in the fifth inning on Storm Wilson’s leadoff double, his sixth of the year.
Missouri (28-25, 14-14 SEC) starter Reggie McClain (6-7) turned in a strong start, working eight innings, allowing eight hits and one run, walking two and striking out four. Andrew Schwaab came on to work the ninth inning.
The series will resume on Friday at 7 p.m. ET at Taylor Stadium.
Kentucky started the scoring in the fifth inning as Wilson lined a 1-2 pitch into the left-centerfield gap for his sixth double of the year. Bernal then hung a deep fly ball to leftfield, with Jake Ivory tracking the ball and climbing the wall to rob Bernal of a home run, with Wilson wisely scampering to third base with one out. With the infield in, Fettes then grounded a single through the left side, scoring Wilson for a 1-0 lead.
UK had a chance to add a run in the sixth inning, as Tom and Shelby singled with one out to bring up Hairston. Hairston ripped a single through the left side, with Ivory charging the single and throwing out a leaping Tom at the plate to keep it a one-run game.
