RECAP: Bama snaps seven-game losing skid with 4-2 win over UK in opener
Nick Mingione's Wildcats dropped the opener of a three-game series in Tuscaloosa.
Jeff Drummond/Cats Illustrated
Jeff Drummond • CatsIllustrated.com
@JDrumUK
The road has been unkind to Kentucky.
The No. 7 Wildcats lost their fourth straight road game to open SEC play on Friday night, 4-2, in the series opener at Alabama.
Entering the weekend riding a seven-game losing streak, Alabama (17-10, 2-5 SEC) beat UK ace Sean Hjelle to take Game 1 of the series.
Hjelle (4-2) allowed four runs on nine hits over seven innings of work. The junior right-hander and reigning SEC Pitcher of the Year was outdueled by the Crimson Tide's Sam Finnerty (3-1), who held the Cats to two runs - one earned - on eight hits and three walks over 5.2 innings on the mound.
Kentucky (18-8, 2-5 SEC) was 4-for-16 with runners on base and 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
The Crimson Tide jumped out to a 3-1 lead after three innings and largely silenced the UK bats from that point forward. The only run the Cats could muster over the final seven frames was a solo home run by Kole Cottam.
Alabama first baseman Hunter Alexander went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI to lead the Tide at the plate.
Deacon Meadors picked up his third save of the season, pitching two innings of scoreless relief with three strikeouts for Alabama.
The series resumes at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday.
Nick Mingione's Wildcats dropped the opener of a three-game series in Tuscaloosa.
Jeff Drummond/Cats Illustrated
Jeff Drummond • CatsIllustrated.com
@JDrumUK
The road has been unkind to Kentucky.
The No. 7 Wildcats lost their fourth straight road game to open SEC play on Friday night, 4-2, in the series opener at Alabama.
Entering the weekend riding a seven-game losing streak, Alabama (17-10, 2-5 SEC) beat UK ace Sean Hjelle to take Game 1 of the series.
Hjelle (4-2) allowed four runs on nine hits over seven innings of work. The junior right-hander and reigning SEC Pitcher of the Year was outdueled by the Crimson Tide's Sam Finnerty (3-1), who held the Cats to two runs - one earned - on eight hits and three walks over 5.2 innings on the mound.
Kentucky (18-8, 2-5 SEC) was 4-for-16 with runners on base and 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
The Crimson Tide jumped out to a 3-1 lead after three innings and largely silenced the UK bats from that point forward. The only run the Cats could muster over the final seven frames was a solo home run by Kole Cottam.
Alabama first baseman Hunter Alexander went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI to lead the Tide at the plate.
Deacon Meadors picked up his third save of the season, pitching two innings of scoreless relief with three strikeouts for Alabama.
The series resumes at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday.
