2018 KENTUCKY BASEBALL WEEK 8 IN REVIEW

 
OVERALL RECORD: 22-10 (5-7 SEC)
WEEK RECORD: 3-1
 
LAST WEEK
Apr. 3 – Win, 8-5, vs. #21 Louisville
Apr. 6 – Win, 14-1, vs. South Carolina
Apr. 7 – Loss, 1-15, vs. South Carolina
Apr. 8 – Win, 10-5, vs. South Carolina
 
THIS WEEK
Apr. 11 – at Western Carolina (5 p.m., Cullowhee, N.C., ESPN3)
Apr. 13 – at #16 Georgia (7 p.m. Athens, Ga., SECN+)
Apr. 14 – at #16 Georgia (7 p.m., Athens, Ga., SEC Network)
Apr. 15 – at #16 Georgia (Noon, Athens, Ga., SEC Network)
 
 
TEAM NOTES

• The offense has …
  • Has homered in 28 of 32 games this season.
  • Has 21 innings this season scoring at least four runs.
  • Racked up 132 extra-base hits
  • Hit .318 as a team this season
  • Slugged .544 as a team
  • Has eight lineup regulars hitting over .300
  • Team on-base percentage of .425
  • Nine of 10 players with at least 10 starts have OBPs over .400
  • Stolen 36 bases
  • Have scored double-digit runs 14 times in 32 games

 
 
PLAYER NOTES
PITCHER OF THE WEEK NOMINEE
Sophomore RHP Chris Machamer…

• Machamer earned the first of two saves on the week on Tuesday against rival and No. 21 Louisville, pitching 2.1 hitless, scoreless innings. He struck out three and walked just one.
  • Machamer entered the game with the bases loaded and the Cats trying to hold on to a three-run lead. He induced a harmless pop-up to end the inning.
• His second save came in a crucial Sunday victory over South Carolina to claim an important series victory.
  • He once again pitched the final 2.1 innings, this time turning in a perfect line.
  • He entered the game with the tying run on deck and shutdown South Carolina’s last-ditch rally by coaxing a flyout to LF.

• Machamer now has four saves on the season and five for his career.
  • He has struck out 20 and given up just 12 hits in 19.1 innings.

 
 
 PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOMINEE
Junior OF Tristan Pompey…

• Pompey has reached base safely in 61 of the past 64 games
• On Sunday in a series-clinching win over South Carolina he crushed a home run to lead off the game for UK.
  • It was his fourth career leadoff homer.

• In the series opener on Friday he matched a career-high with five RBI, setting the tone for the Cats’ 14-1 win. He had a bases loaded double off the wall the score three runs and blew the game open.
• Has nine multi-hit games this season and 43 for his career.
• Has six multi-RBI games this season and 26 for his career.
• This season, Kentucky is 15-4 when Pompey has at least one hit and 2-6 in games he doesn’t, proving how important he is to the Cats’ success.

• Senior C/1B Troy Squires

  • Now has 29 sacrifice bunts for his career, which moves him into sole possession of second place on UK’s all-time career list. He is 11 behind Ryan Wilkes (2005-08).
  • Hit .375 for the week with two home runs and seven RBI.
  • Recorded his 100^th career hit on Friday vs. South Carolina, a grand slam to RF. He is the 52^nd member of UK’s 100-hit club.

• Senior INF Luke Becker …

  • Becker homered on his birthday on Sunday, making him the first UK player to homer on his birthday since Austin Cousino in 2012.
  • Becker has reached in all 32 games this season.
  • Becker has 10 multi-hit games this season and 37 for his career.

• Junior IF/OF Luke Heyer …

  • Clubbed two home runs on the week to give him an SEC-leading 13 for the season.
  • He has 13 multi-hit games this season and 17 for his career.
  • He has a team-high 11 multi-RBI games this season and 14 for his career.

• Junior INF Trey Dawson …

  • On Friday vs. South Carolina…
    •  Dawson recorded his first career multi-RBI game.
    • Stole two bases after entering the game with a total of three on the season.
    • Scored a career-high four runs.
  • On Saturday vs. South Carolina he hit his first career home run.

• Sophomore DH T.J. Collett ….

  • On Friday vs. South Carolina, became just the second Wildcat to draw four walks in a game in the past nine seasons. Alex Rodriguez drew four against Xavier on March 20, matching the total by Andy Burns vs. Tennessee on May 3, 2009.

• Junior RHP Sean Hjelle ….

  • On Friday vs. South Carolina, earned the win with 7.0 innings, five hits, one unearned run, no walks and eight strikeouts.
    • Allowed just two hits through the first 6.0 innings.
    • Had just three three-ball counts and none until the fourth inning.
  • In his last three starts he has pitched 21.1 innings, struck out 22 and not walked a batter.
  • In two career starts vs. South Carolina he is 2-0 with 13.0 IP, eight hits, one run (none earned), one walk and 14 K’s.
  • Hjelle now has 20 career wins, moving him into a tie for 7^th on UK’s career list, joining three other Cats.
  • Hjelle is 8-3 as a starter in the SEC, all as a Friday night starter.

• Redshirt freshman RHP Carson Coleman earned his first collegiate victory vs. Louisville.

  • Coleman pitched 1.2 innings in relief, allowing just one hit, walking one and striking out two.