No. 22 UK Baseball Hosts Dayton, Miami (Ohio) in Midweek Tilts

**Please Note: Tuesday’s first pitch has been moved to 5:30 p.m. ET **

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Fresh off its dramatic come-from-behind victory Saturday to salvage a three-game series with Arkansas, the No. 22 Kentucky baseball team will host a pair of midweek tilts on Tuesday and Wednesday vs. Dayton and Miami (Ohio), respectively. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. on both nights.

Single-game tickets for all both games are available through Ticketmaster.com or by calling the UK Ticket Office at (800) 928-2287. General admission adult tickets are $5, while general admission youth (18 and under) and senior (65 and older) are $2. Children ages 5 and under are admitted free of charge in general admission areas, based on availability. A complete list of promotions for the midweek games are listed below. 

Both games will be featured on SEC Network+ with Dick Gabriel and Doug Flynn calling the action. 

 

Fans can also hear the games live on the UK Sports Radio Network, available in Central Kentucky on WLAP 630-AM, in Louisville on WKJK 1080-AM and online at UKathletics.com.

Kentucky (24-15, 10-8 Southeastern Conference) is coming off walk-off win Saturday afternoon in the second game of a doubleheader for Arkansas. UK fell in the first two games of the three-game series, 1-0 on Friday and 2-0 in the first game Saturday, but the Wildcats’ bats came alive late in the series finale of a shortened seven-inning game. 

Trailing 4-3 entering the bottom of the seventh, pinch runner Storm Wilson tied the game at 4-4 when sophomore Riley Mahan beat a force out at second base on senior Dorian Hairston’s infield single up the middle. That set the stage for sophomore catcher Troy Squires, who drove a single into the gap in right-center field, scoring Mahan from second base for the walk-off win. Hairston also contributed with a two-run home run Sunday.

For Squires, it was his second game-winning hit in as many weekends. He also knocked in all three of Kentucky’s runs with a seventh-inning, bases-clearing double in a 3-0 win over Vanderbilt the weekend earlier. 

Kentucky’s pitching staff was brilliant over the weekend, giving up a combined six earned runs and 17 hits while striking out 13 in 23 innings of combined work. Junior Zack Brown pitched a career-high 9.2 innings Friday and allowed just one run, while senior Dustin Beggs pitched all seven innings of Saturday’s first game, surrendering two runs. UK’s bullpen was marvelous in the series finale Saturday after senior Kyle Cody hurled 5.1 innings of four-run ball (three earned). Head coach Gary Henderson mixed and matched five arms for the remaining five outs, giving up just one hit the rest of the way. 

The Wildcats will turn to sophomore right-hander Zack Pop (0-1, 6.00 ERA) on Tuesday vs. Dayton. Pop will make his sixth start of the season but first since March 29. The sophomore from Canada worked 0.2 innings of scoreless relief in Saturday’s win over Arkansas, striking out one. Dayton will counter with southpaw sophomore Mason Kutruff, who sports a 2-4 record with a 5.80 ERA entering Tuesday’s tilt. 

Wednesday’s starters are to be determined. 

The Wildcats will try to get their offense rolling again after a difficult weekend against the Arkansas pitching staff. Led by Evan White’s team-high .341 average and Gunnar McNeill’s team-high 34 RBI, UK is hitting .279 for the season. 

Mahan was a bright spot over the weekend, going 4-for-10 with a double and Sunday’s game-winning run. Sophomore infielder Tyler Marshall collected his first three-hit game of his career in Friday’s loss. 

Dayton (14-27, 5-10 Atlantic 10) is coming off a series with George Washington, where the Flyers took one of three. Dayton enters Tuesday’s contest having won three of its last six games. The Flyers are led by junior outfielder Robbie Doring, who is hitting .283 with a team-best eight home runs and 27 RBI. He’s collected a hit in 10 of his last 13 games.

Miami (20-19, 9-3 Mid-American Conference) was swept at Pittsburgh over the weekend, but the RedHawks had won eight of their previous nine games prior to the sweep. Sophomore infielder Ross Haffey has been a big part of Miami’s strong second half of the season, hitting a sensational .380 with a team-high 33 RBI and seven home runs. Senior outfielder Gary Russo has clubbed 13 round-trippers. 

UK leads the all-time series vs. Dayton 9-2, including a 15-2 win over the Flyers on Feb. 21 in Spartanburg, S.C.  The Wildcats have a 22-15 advantage over Miami. The RedHawks won the last outing 3-1 in 2011.

For more information on the Kentucky baseball team, follow @UKBaseball on Twitter and Facebook or visit UKathletics.com. 

Records

Kentucky: 24-15, 10-8 SEC

Dayton (Tuesday): 14-27, 5-10 Atlantic 10

Miami (Wednesday): 20-19, 9-3 MAC

Schedule (times Eastern and subject to change) — Lexington, Ky.

Tuesday, April 26 – 5:30 p.m. ET – SEC Network+

Wednesday, April 27 – 6:30 p.m. ET – SEC Network+ 

Internet Coverage

Live audio and stats on UKathletics.com

Tentative Pitching Matchups

Tuesday vs. Dayton

So., RHP Zack Pop (0-1 record, 6.00 ERA) vs. So., LHP Mason Kutruff (2-4 record, 5.80 ERA)

Wednesday vs. Miami (Ohio)

TBD vs. TBD

Stadium

Cliff Hagan Stadium (3,000)

Parking

Free game day parking is available in the C-8 lot beyond right field and behind home plate, 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 – Youths/Seniors

Midweek Promotions