Tennessee Baseball

Morehead held to three hits in 13-2 blowout by UT

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Morehead State University tallied just three hits Wednesday in a 13-2 blowout by the University of Tennessee. Sophomore third baseman Taylor Davis, senior first baseman Michael Bottoms and sophomore left fielder Andrew Deeds each recorded one hit in the game for the Eagles. Sophomore left-handed pitcher Tyler Hieneman took the loss after allowing seven runs in just two-thirds of an inning. (Box Score)

BluGrass Baseball POG: Cody Gibson — Frankly no Eagle deserves a player of the game honor, but we’ll take this chance to recognize Morehead freshman right-handed closer Cody Gibson, who pitched a scoreless innings in the game. On the season, Gibson has three saves but an ugly 11.70 ERA after several bad appearances.

Midweek Schedule: Week Five (March 16)

College Baseball

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

  • EKU vs. Purdue — 1:30 p.m. — LHP Greg Terry (1-0, 2.25) — Live Stats
  • Murray St. vs. Southern Illinois — 2:00 p.m. (CT)
  • WKU vs. Vandy — 3:00 p.m. (CT) — RHP Taylor Haydel (0-0, 6.28)
  • UK vs. Wright St. — 6:30 p.m. — Gametracker
  • Morehead State University @ Tennessee — 7:00 p.m. — LHP Tyler Hieneman (1-1, 5.40) — Live Stats

WKU rallies to tie game in ninth, defeats UT in extras

College Baseball

Western Kentucky University tied its game against Tennessee with a base-loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth inning, and then won on Blake Crabtree‘s first career hit in the tenth. Crabtree, a redshirt freshman infielder who entered the game as a defensive replacement in the tenth, drove home junior designated hitter Kory Petri on a no-out, bases-loaded single to give WKU a 5-4 win. Redshirt sophomore right-handed reliever Rye Davis earned the victory after pitching a scoreless tenth.

Sophomore center fielder Kes Carter was 3-5 with a RBI and two runs scored in the game, and junior catcher Matt Rice was 2-4 with an RBI. Freshman right fielder Matt Borgschulte also drove in a run for the Hilltoppers. Freshman right-handed starting pitcher Taylor Haydel took a no decision after allowing two runs in five innings. WKU improved to 9-3 on the season. (Box Score)

BluGrass Baseball POG: Kes Carter — Carter’s two-out RBI double in the ninth inning brought the Hilltoppers within one and kept the rally alive. Carter has been WKU’s breakout star this season and is batting .429 with one home run, 12 RBI and eight runs scored on the season.

BluGrass Baseball Mid-Week Schedule: Week Four

College Baseball

The state’s college baseball teams are back in action starting this afternoon on a beautiful day for baseball in the Bluegrass. I’ve linked athletic department previews when available and included WKU’s probable starters. Probable pitchers are harder to come by during the week as most are chosen on a fill-in basis and the bullpens end up pitching most of the game. We have one intrastate game this week with Morehead hosting Transy on Wednesday.

Tuesday

  • University of Louisville (10) vs. Indiana — 3 p.m.
  • University of Kentucky (22) vs. Evansville — 3 p.m.
  • Western Kentucky University vs. Tennessee — 3 p.m. — RHP Taylor Haydel
  • Eastern Kentucky University @ UNC Greensboro — 6 p.m.
  • Murray State University vs. Arkansas St. — 2 p.m. (CT)

Wednesday

  • UK (22) vs. Evansville — 4 p.m.
  • WKU @ Mississippi St. — 4 p.m. (CT) –RHP Brian Edelen
  • EKU @ North Carolina A&T — 3 p.m.
  • Morehead State University vs. Transylvania University — 5 p.m.

EKU takes out UT with extra inning grand slam

College Baseball

Eastern Kentucky University sophomore right fielder Michael Garcia launched a grand slam in the top of the 10th inning and held off a bottom-of-the-inning rally to defeat the University of Tennessee 8-7. Garcia’s blast came on a 2-2 count with two outs in the inning. Sophomore right-handed reliever Matt Harris, who entered the game in the bottom of the tenth with the bases loaded and two runs already in, walked in one run before inducing a groundout to end the game.

Junior third baseman Jayson Langfels was 3-5 with a home run, two runs scored and one RBI in the game, and sophomore shortstop Richie Rodriguez drove in two runs for the Colonels. Junior right-handed reliever Ryne Purcell recorded the win despite surrendering three runs in the bottom of the tenth, and Harris was credited with his first save of the season. EKU improved to 2-2 on the season. (Box Score)

Pleasure Ridge Park alum and former Little League World Series champion alum Zach Osborne was 1-5 with a run scored in the game for UT.

BluGrass Baseball POG: Michael Garcia — While Jayson Langfels kept the Colonels in the game through regulation play, Garcia’s grand slam was clearly the play that put EKU over the top. Garcia was just 1-4 in the game, and the home run was just his second hit of the season in 15 at-bats.

Burke named a top college hitter of the 2000s

College Baseball, Major League Baseball
chris burke

Chris Burke; Photo by grovesa16 via Flickr

Kendall Rogers of Yahoo Sports! has listed his top 10 college hitters of the 2000s, and a Kentucky native made the cut. Chris Burke, who graduated from St. X High School in Louisville in 1998, played collegiately at Tennessee from 1999-2001. Burke was a second-team Freshman All-American in 1999, third-team All-American in 2000 and first-team All-American in 2001.

Rogers writes of the 2001 Southeastern Conference Player of the Year, who he ranks ninth on his list: “It’s no surprise to anyone that Burke made it to the big leagues.” Burke batted .435 with 21 doubles, 11 triples, 20 home runs and 60 RBI his junior season before the Houston Astros selected him with the tenth pick in the 2001 draft. Burke spent most of last season in AAA with the Gwinnett Braves. (Read more)

Rogers ranked 2009 Louisville Bat Yonder Alonso tenth on his list.

EKU Schedule Breakdown

College Baseball

eku logoWe’re doubling up on the schedule breakdowns today with EKU in addition to the UK breakdown below. The Colonels will kick the 2010 season off on Feb. 26. I’ve included in-state games and some other interesting matchups below:

  • March 3 — @ Tennessee
  • April 17-18 — @ Morehead State
  • April 20 — vs. University of the Cumberlands
  • April 28 — @ WKU
  • May 8-9 — vs. Murray State
  • May 18 — @ UofL
  • May 26-30 — OVC tournament

You can see the full schedule here.

Afternoon Notes

College Baseball, Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball

Jay Bruce

  • The University of Tennessee has released its 2010 baseball schedule.  UT will play vs. EKU on March 3, at WKU on March 9 and vs. UK April 30-May 3.
  • UK has a news release about Logan Darnell being included on BA’s top prospects in the Alaska League.
  • Cincinnati Reds standouts Jay Bruce and Ryan Hannigan will begin rehab assignments with Louisville tonight.
  • UK head basketball coach John Calipari visited with the Logan County Little League team Wednesday during a tour of Western Kentucky for books signings.
  • I missed this story last week, but it’s still worth passing along.  Nick Craddock of the Kentucky Kernel reports on the UK Club Baseball’s teams second consecutive national championship.