TicketsBearcats Falter At Kentucky, 8-4
DeLuca homers in UC loss
Contact: Shawn Sell
4/7/2004
Jon DeLuca homered in Wednesday's loss at Kentucky. |
LEXINGTON, Ky.---Cincinnati?s four first inning runs didn?t stand up as Kentucky rattled off eight unanswered runs to hand the Bearcats an 8-4 defeat on Wednesday night at Cliff Hagan Stadium in non-conference college baseball action.
Seven Kentucky pitchers limited the Bearcats to six hits, with all but two coming in the first inning. Jon DeLuca had the big hit of the day for UC when he ripped his first home run of the season to left center with two runners on in the first. Control problems beset the Bearcats as UC?s two pitchers yielded seven walks, while hitting three batters. Brian St. Jean took the loss for the Bearcats, falling to 1-4 on the year, with UC?s overall record slipping to 5-23.
The difference in the game was a five-run fifth inning turned in by the Wildcats, who improve to 15-13 on the year. In the frame, Kentucky batted around, collecting four hits and two walks along with the runs. John Shelby started the inning with a single and one out later both Spencer Graeter and Caleb Stewart drew walks, spelling the end of the day for St. Jean. With Tony Maynard summoned from the UC bullpen, Mike Breyman greeted the UC reliever with an RBI single. After a run-scoring groundout, pinch-hitter Jake Kungl came through with a two-run single, just before Casey Gilvin?s RBI hit up the middle.
The Bearcats got off to a great start as with one out, both Brian Beltz and Jack Nelson singled. Steve Pickerell then ripped a shot that went through the legs of third baseman Michael Bertram for an error and the first UC marker of the day. DeLuca then followed with a three-run blast over the left centerfield wall that pushed the Bearcats to an early 4-0 lead.
Kentucky started the march back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning. St. Jean walked the first three Wildcat hitters and both Breyman and Bertram picked up RBI with groundouts.
From there, the UK hurlers shut down a usually potent Bearcat offense allowing just a second inning Beltz single and a sixth inning DeLuca base knock and walks to Mark Muscenti and Pickerell. James Rodridquez was the pitcher of record for the Wildcats improving to 1-3 on the season.
Gilvin finished the game with four hits for UK, while Graeter drew four walks and a hit by pitch. Breyman, Kungl and Bertram all had two RBI for the Wildcats.
UC will now get back into Conference USA play with a three-game trip to TCU this weekend. Action from Fort Worth begins on Friday at 7 p.m. CT, with a 3 p.m. first pitch set for Saturday and a 1 p.m. start for Sunday?s finale.