NO. 1 VANDERBILT SWEEPS WILDCATS IN SEC HOME FINALE
LEXINGTON, Ky. --
Top-ranked Vanderbilt posted a 10-5 win over Kentucky to secure a
series sweep, on Sunday afternoon at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
Kentucky
(28-22, 10-17 Southeastern Conference) fell behind in the first inning
and after taking a lead with two runs in the second, allowed the
Commodores to rally with a run in the third and a three-run frame in
the fourth. UK answered with two runs in the fourth and a game-tying
homer from A.J. Reed in the fifth but the Dores immediately responded
with a two-run homer in the top of the sixth.
The
Wildcats totsaled 10 hits in the game, with Austin Cousino going
3-for-4 with a double. Reed belted his 12th homer of the year as part
of a two-hit game. UK also got a two-run homer from Max Kuhn and
singles from J.T. Riddle, Matt Reida, Micheal Thomas and Kyle Barrett,
with Barrett extending his hit streak to a club-best 14 games.
UK
starter Corey Littrell (5-5) suffered the loss, allowing eight hits and
eight runs – seven earned – in 6.2 innings, walking two and striking
out six. Senior Walter Wijas took over with two outs in the seventh,
working one inning and allowing a run on one hit. Sophomore Chandler
Shepherd worked 1.1 innings, allowing four singles and one run.
Vanderbilt
(45-6, 24-2 SEC) starter TJ Pecoraro worked 4.1 innings, allowing eight
hits and five runs, striking out two. Lefty Steven Rice (3-0) picked up
the win with the final 4.2 innings in relief, allowing just two UK
singles.
Tony Kemp managed to work his way around
the bases to score an early run for Vanderbilt in the top of the first.
Kemp led off the inning with a single through the right side and moved
over to third on a throwing error during a pick-off attempt. Xavier
Turner brought Kemp home, knocking a sacrifice fly to leftfield.
Kentucky
took a 2-1 lead with two runs in the bottom of the second. Cousino led
off the inning ith a double down the rightfield line and moved over to
third when Kuhn grounded out to the right side of the infield. Reida
singled up the middle to score Cousino and eventually came around
himself to score from first when Thomas singled into leftfield and the
leftfield misplayed the ball.
Vandy tied the game
back up with one run in the top of the third. Spencer Navin opened the
inning with a double, moved over to third on a sacrifice fly and came
home to score on Kemp’s sacrifice fly to centerfield.
The
Commodores tallied three runs in the top of the fourth to take a 5-2
lead. Mike Yastrzemski led off with a single into left-centerfield and
scored on a double from Connor Harrell into right-centerfield. Conrad
Gregor walked and the two baserunners tagged and advanced to second and
third on a Zander Wiel fly out to deep centerfield. Harrell scored on a
sacrifice fly into rightfield and Gregor tagged and moved over to
third. Navin followed with a single into leftfield, scoring Gregor from
third.
Kentucky responded with two runs in the
bottom of the inning as Kuhn followed a Cousino singled with a two-run
home run over the leftfield wall, putting UK within one run through
four.
Reed tied the game for UK with a solo blast over the rightfield wall, leaving the game at 5-5 through five.
A
two-run homer from Gregor put the Commodores back on top through five
and a half. Harrell reached on a walk with one out and Gregor drove him
home with a homer over the wall in right-centerfield.
Vandy
added one in the top of the seventh after Kemp doubled into leftfield
with two outs. Turner followed Kemp with a single into shallow
centerfield, allowing Kemp to come around and score from second.
The Dores got two more runs in the eighth on three hits and a hit batter.
GAME
NOTES: Kentucky drops to 7-2 in its black and white uniform combination
… UK is now 18-12 at home and 6-9 vs. SEC foes at home … UK is now
20-10 in day games … UK falls to 6-14 against top-25 teams … UK is now
6-4 on Sundays … UK is now 19-15 against right-handed starting pitchers
… UK is not 7-6 when its opponent scores in the first inning and 8-13
when its opponent scores first … UK leads the all-time series,
141-136-5, including a 71-52-1 mark in Lexington … UK turned its 55th
double play of the year.
Junior J.T. Riddle made his team-leading 116th consecutive start. Freshman Kyle Barrett extended his team-long hitting streak to 14 games, the longest streak for UK in 2013. Sophomore Austin Cousino doubled for the team-best 12th time in 2013.
Cousino had hit fourth three-hit game of the year and the 14th
multi-hit game of the year. Junior Corey Littrell made his 13th start of the year and the 42nd of his three-year career.
Littrell now ranks tied with Taylor Rogers (2010-12) for seventh in UK
career history in starts.
Littrell now has 254.2 career innings pitched, the 10th-best in UK
history and 208 strikeouts, passing Rodney Bolton (1989-90) for ninth
place in UK career history. Littrell picked off his SEC-leading sixth and seventh runners of the year. Sophomore A.J. Reed hit his team-best 12th homer of the year. Sophomore Max Kuhn hit his fifth homer of the year. Senior Walter Wijas appeared in his team-high 25th game out of the bullpen. Sophomore Chandler Shepherd appeared in his 22nd game of 2013.
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