NickKennedy

Outlook
Sidearm reliever has the ability to be a dominating weapon out of the bullpen in his senior season … Has served as a late-inning reliever and closer his first two years … Battled injury as a redshirt sophomore in 2009 (pitched only 3.2 innings), returning three weekend into the 2010 season and emerging as one of the top relievers in the SEC … Release point and a devastating slider cause significant issues to right-handed hitters … Has a highly competitive makeup on the mound, perfect for a late-inning reliever … Could form a strong late-inning relief combination with southpaw Mike Kaczmarek and right-hander Braden Kapteyn.

2010
Had a great season as a late-inning reliever for UK, appearing in 21 games out of the bullpen … Posted a 4-1 record and a 4.21 ERA, with one save … Missed the first three weeks of the year due to injury but still ranked third on the team in outings … Pitched 36.1 innings, allowing 37 hits and 14 walks, striking out 42 and holding opponents to a .259 average … Appeared in 13 of UK’s 30 SEC games, posting a 3-1 record and a 6.10 ERA in 20.2 innings, with 20 strikeouts … Had a 1.72 ERA and a 1-0 record in eight non-conference games, striking out 22 in 15.2 innings … Was actually used for two outs as a first baseman, late in a game vs. Murray State, with UK head coach Gary Henderson using Kennedy first on the mound, then for two outs at first base, then bringing him back on the mound face a right-handed hitter … Had two pickoffs on the year, both times coming with runners on third and first base in the fake-to-third-throw-to-first pickoff … Ranked second on the team with 18 strikeouts looking … Faced 10 bases-loaded situations in 2010, allowing only one hit and one walk, striking out three and allowing one sacrifice fly … First 7.1 innings pitched on the year were scoreless … Had a good season debut after sitting out the first three weeks while recovering from injury, tossing three shutout innings against Evansville for the save, allowing only two hits and one walk … Hurled 3.2 shutout innings in the game with Murray State, allowing only two hits and striking out four … Allowed first runs of the season against Xavier, tossing 2.2 innings, with two hits and one run, walking four and striking out five … Took a hard-luck loss in a heartbreaking loss at Vanderbilt in the series finale … UK was clinging to a large lead late in the game at Vandy and after closer Matt Little had allowed the game-tying run on base with the bases juiced, Kennedy was summoned to try to get UK out of the jam with one out in the bottom of the ninth … Kennedy got one out, but walked two and allowed the eventual walk-off run, in the form of ace pitcher Sonny Gray, to win on a base hit … Struck out four of the five outs he recorded against Western Kentucky on March 31 … Had the best outing of his season at Arkansas, lifting UK to a 12-8 win in the Friday-night contest … After Logan Darnell was knocked out of the game early on Friday at Arkansas, Kennedy kept UK in the game with a career-best 4.1 innings, allowing two hits and three runs, walking one and striking out a career-high six … Was called upon in the Sunday game with Arkansas for two clutch outs … Went 3.2 shutout innings against the defending NCAA Champion, No. 20 LSU on May 16, allowing only two hits and two walks, striking out three … Final appearance came as the winning effort of UK’s drama-filled 14-11 comeback win at Georgia on May 22, hurling two innings, with one run allowed … Pitched in 12 games at Cliff Hagan Stadium posting a 3.57 ERA and a 2-0 record with a save in 22.2 innings, striking out 26 … Had a 3.57 ERA and a 2-1 record in 14 day games … In his first nine appearances of the season, 30 games deep into UK’s year, Kennedy owned a 2-1 record and a save, with a 1.96 ERA.

Nick Kennedy

2009

Pitched in two games, tossing 3.2 innings with two hits and one run allowed, striking out four and totaling a 2.45 ERA … Got a save in his longest outing of the year, tossing the final 3.1 innings of UK’s season opener against Troy in Myrtle Beach, S.C. … Showed tremendous promise as one of the top few bullpen arms on the team in his first outing … After getting one out in a UK win over Indiana, suffered a season-ending injury.

Junior College
Right-hander with a submarine delivery, coached by James Hines … Played the past two seasons at East Los Angeles College where he led team to a 31-13 record … During the 2007 season, was 8-1 with five saves and a 2.00 ERA … In 85.2 innings Kennedy struck out 48 and only walked 18 in 2007 … Named first-team All-South Coast Conference in 2007.

High School
Two-year varsity letterwinner for coach Sean McCorrey at Arcadia High School in Arcadia, Calif. … Named second-team All-Pacific as a junior and first-team All-Pacific as a senior in 2006.

Personal
Full name is Nicholas Robert Kennedy … Born September 1, 1988 in Houston, Texas … Son of John Kennedy and Rebecca Trounson … Has a sister, Merrit Kennedy (24).