Interesting weekend for UK baseball

Gwynn’s Aztecs handed UK its first loss (SDSU)

Quite an interesting weekend for the University of Kentucky baseball team in San Diego. The casual fan will look at the Cats’ 2-1 record and consider it a moderate success, but since you’re not the casual fan, I’ll enlighten you on some truly unique occurrences that the Wildcats experienced on the west coast.

UK lost its chance at going 70-0 this season on Thursday, as San Diego State All-American Addison Reed stifled the Cats’ bats in a 12-4 Aztec victory. The junior, who was college baseball’s closer of the year last season, went six innings for a Tony Gwynn-coached SDSU team that got an early lead and never looked back. Starter Alex Meyer was touched for seven runs in 4 1/3 innings for a UK team that also made one defensive error, walked seven, and two hit batters. San Diego State, on the other hand, made no errors, walked only two, and didn’t hit a batter- which was an accomplishment compared to UK’s next two opponents. Kentucky, whose record dropped to 7-1, had to respond.

To respond from a disappointing loss is one thing. To positively dominate your next opponent less than 24 hours later is another, and UK southpaw Logan Darnell did just that, twirling a complete-game shutout against #19 San Diego on Friday. The junior disposed of the Toreros with unparalleled efficiency, needing just 90 pitches- 70 of them strikes- to get the Cats back on track. The 6-0 victory pushed UK to 8-1, and impressed head coach Gary Henderson:

Darnell dominates Toreros (UK photo)

Logan Darnell had an outstanding game for us today. He showed up in a big way. He got better as the game went along. He kind of gave us the boost that we needed after yesterdays overall performance. What we needed was someone to show up, take control of the situation and he did that today.”

Fact: If Darnell doesn’t garner some SEC and national accolades for this performance, then folks just aren’t paying attention.

In addition to Darnell’s heroics, senior Gunner Glad went 4-5 and Kentucky hitters were plunked by seven (yes, seven) pitches. And if that number surprised you, you would’ve been shocked after the Cats’ next game.

Kentucky defeated Monmouth University 14-13 on Saturday. That’s the short of it. The long? How about Monmouth hitting ten UK hitters? The figure tied an NCAA record for hit batters in a game (with St. Joseph’s vs. Fordham in ‘09 and Washington vs. Rice in ‘98). Kentucky used the HBP’s to score seven unanswered runs and knock off the defending Northeast Conference champs at Cunningham Stadium in San Diego.

Chris Bisson was hit in the face by a pitch in the second inning and had to be replaced by Neiko Johnson. The All-American broke his nose, and it remains to be seen how much time he misses, if any. When Monmouth pitchers managed to throw the ball over the plate, Kentucky took advantage. Braden Kapteyn went 4-for-5 on the day with three RBI, Chad Wright had a 3-for-4 day with four RBI, and Johnson smacked his first career home run in the ninth inning to tie the game.

Matt Little (UK photo)

While freshman Taylor Rogers was roughed up for ten earned runs in 2 1/3 innings, junior Matt Little was untouchable for the Cats, hurling the last four frames to earn his first win of the season. The Louisberg (NC) College transfer, who already leads the team with three saves, allowed just two hits and struck out a career-high nine. So far this season, the Virginia Beach native owns a 0.82 ERA, and has struck out 14 with just three walks.

Kentucky batters have been hit by a staggering 39 pitches in just ten games. They’re on pace to get plunked 218 times in 2010, a number that would shatter the previous NCAA record set by Nevada in 1997. The Wolfpack wore 125 pitches that year.

In summation, to quote Bill Parcells, “you are what your record says you are.” The Cats are 9-1, and while it’s been an interesting 2010 to say the least, it’s always good to see UK on the winning side of things early. Considering that two of their three starters on the weekend had tough days, it’s reassuring to see others step up as if they’d been in the mix all season long. The performances of Matt Little (1-0, 3 saves, 0.82 ERA), Keenan Wiley (.400 batting average, 8 RBI) and the rock-solid Bisson (.378, 10 RBI) has lifted UK to a .900 winning percentage thus far. Look for others to settle in to their 2010 seasons and contribute in a big way, starting with Kentucky’s midweek series with Evansville on Tuesday.

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