2018 KENTUCKY BASEBALL WEEK 1 UPDATE
OVERALL RECORD: 4-0
WEEK RECORD: 4-0
LAST WEEK
Feb. 16 – Win, at Wofford, 6-1
Feb. 17 – Win, at USC Upstate, 6-5 (10 inn.)
Feb. 17 – Win, at USC Upstate, 10-3
Feb. 18 – Win, vs. Evansville, 8-4
THIS WEEK (4 home games)
Feb. 21 – vs. Xavier (4 p.m., Cliff Hagan Stadium, Lexington, Ky., SECN+)
Feb. 23 – vs. Oakland (4 p.m., Cliff Hagan Stadium, Lexington, Ky., SECN+)
Feb. 24 - vs. Oakland (1 p.m., Cliff Hagan Stadium, Lexington, Ky., SECN+)
Feb. 25 - vs. Oakland (1 p.m., Cliff Hagan Stadium, Lexington, Ky., SECN+)
PLAYER OF WEEK NOMINEE
·Junior OF Tristan Pompey
oPompey extended his streak of reaching base safely to 41 games.
oHit a team-leading .471 as the Cats’ leadoff hitter.
oWith eight hits on opening weekend, he now has 141 career hits, good for 33rd on the UK all-time list. He passed former teammate Zach Reks (137) on Sunday.
oScored six runs and drove in three.
oPosted a .550 on-base percentage and team-leading .824 slugging percentage.
oHomered and doubled hitting right-handed; doubled twice left-handed.
PITCHER OF WEEK NOMINEE
·Junior RHP Justin Lewis
oLewis allowed just two hits and no runs in 6.0 innings to earn win vs. USC Upstate.
oHe struck out a career-high nine hitters and did not walk anyone.
oThrew 60 of 83 pitches for strikes.
oOnly went to two three-ball counts among the 20 batters he faced.
TEAM NOTES
·This is Kentucky's first 4-0 start since the 2012 season.
oThis is the first 4-0 start on the road since 2007.
·Starters Sean Hjelle and Justin Lewis were lights out in their season debuts
oEach went 6.0 innings and allowed just two hits
oThe two combined for 2-0, 12.0 IP, 4 hits, 1 run, 2 walks, 12 strikeouts
·The UK bullpen did sensational work:
oEarned two wins
oPitched 24.1 innings, allowing just five runs on only 12 hits for a 1.85 ERA
oThrew 7.1 shutout innings to help the Cats erase a 5-0 deficit and win 6-5 in 10 innings on Saturday.
oHad 24 strikeouts and only nine walks.
·The Kentucky offense rapped out 21 extra-base hits for the weekend: 14 doubles and seven home runs.
oThe Cats also worked 18 walks and drew 10 hit by pitch.
oOPS was .945 for the weekend.
·15 players made their UK debut: OF Ben Aklinski, RHP Crosby Bringhurst, RHP Carson Coleman, 1B Brayden Combs, SS Trey Dawson, RHP Daniel Harper, LHP Mason Hazelwood, OF Cam Hill, OF Ryan Johnson, C/IF Coltyn Kessler, RHP Trip Lockhart, RHP Aaron McGeorge, RHP Jimmy Ramsey, IF Alex Rodriguez, OF Ryan Shinn
PLAYER NOTES
·Sophomore C/1B T.J. Collett
oCollett had four hits and six RBI on the weekend.
oOf his six career hits, five have gone for extra bases (three doubles, two home runs.
·Senior IF Luke Becker
oHit .333 for the week with five runs scored, two RBI, four walks and a stolen base.
oOf his five hits, four went for extra bases (three doubles, one home run).
oSlugged .733 in 15 at bats.
·Junior OF Ben Aklinski
oHe blasted his first career home run with a solo shot against USC Upstate
oHit .412 in his first week at the Division I level with a double, homer, two RBI and a stolen base.
·Senior C/1B Troy Squires
oSquires was hit by five pitches in the first three games and now has 19 HBP in his career.
oRecorded his 21st career sacrifice to move into ninth place on UK’s career list.
oHas a team-high .563 on-base percentage.
·Senior IF/OF Luke Heyer
oHeyer hit two home runs on the weekend, the only Cat to do so.
oHeyer is one of just eight SEC players to homer twice on opening weekend.
oHeyer’s home run in his first at bat of season is the first for a UK player since Luke Maile in 2010.
·Freshman RHP Daniel Harper
oHarper pitched 4.0 innings, giving up one earned run and striking out eight.
oStruck out five in a row at one point.
·Junior RHP Aaron McGeorge
oThe Lexington native earned a win in his first Division I appearance.
·Freshman RHP Jimmy Ramsey
oRamsey pitched 2.2 hitless innings, walking one and striking out one.
·Junior RHP Sean Hjelle
oPitched 6.0 innings to earn the win in the season opener at Wofford.
oGave up just two hits, one run and struck out three.
oHe is the second Kentucky pitcher since 2002 to throw at least six innings, give up two hits or less, and give up one earned run or less in a season opener (Andrew Albers vs. Appalachian State, Feb. 18, 2005).
oHe is now 16-5 in his career. His .762 winning percentage ranks third on UK’s career win-loss percentage list.
·Redshirt freshman RHP Carson Coleman
oIn his first collegiate outing, Coleman faced seven hitters, striking out five and allowing a walk.
oRecorded three hitless innings of work in two outings.
OVERALL RECORD: 4-0
WEEK RECORD: 4-0
LAST WEEK
Feb. 16 – Win, at Wofford, 6-1
Feb. 17 – Win, at USC Upstate, 6-5 (10 inn.)
Feb. 17 – Win, at USC Upstate, 10-3
Feb. 18 – Win, vs. Evansville, 8-4
THIS WEEK (4 home games)
Feb. 21 – vs. Xavier (4 p.m., Cliff Hagan Stadium, Lexington, Ky., SECN+)
Feb. 23 – vs. Oakland (4 p.m., Cliff Hagan Stadium, Lexington, Ky., SECN+)
Feb. 24 - vs. Oakland (1 p.m., Cliff Hagan Stadium, Lexington, Ky., SECN+)
Feb. 25 - vs. Oakland (1 p.m., Cliff Hagan Stadium, Lexington, Ky., SECN+)
PLAYER OF WEEK NOMINEE
·Junior OF Tristan Pompey
oPompey extended his streak of reaching base safely to 41 games.
oHit a team-leading .471 as the Cats’ leadoff hitter.
oWith eight hits on opening weekend, he now has 141 career hits, good for 33rd on the UK all-time list. He passed former teammate Zach Reks (137) on Sunday.
oScored six runs and drove in three.
oPosted a .550 on-base percentage and team-leading .824 slugging percentage.
oHomered and doubled hitting right-handed; doubled twice left-handed.
PITCHER OF WEEK NOMINEE
·Junior RHP Justin Lewis
oLewis allowed just two hits and no runs in 6.0 innings to earn win vs. USC Upstate.
oHe struck out a career-high nine hitters and did not walk anyone.
oThrew 60 of 83 pitches for strikes.
oOnly went to two three-ball counts among the 20 batters he faced.
TEAM NOTES
·This is Kentucky's first 4-0 start since the 2012 season.
oThis is the first 4-0 start on the road since 2007.
·Starters Sean Hjelle and Justin Lewis were lights out in their season debuts
oEach went 6.0 innings and allowed just two hits
oThe two combined for 2-0, 12.0 IP, 4 hits, 1 run, 2 walks, 12 strikeouts
·The UK bullpen did sensational work:
oEarned two wins
oPitched 24.1 innings, allowing just five runs on only 12 hits for a 1.85 ERA
oThrew 7.1 shutout innings to help the Cats erase a 5-0 deficit and win 6-5 in 10 innings on Saturday.
oHad 24 strikeouts and only nine walks.
·The Kentucky offense rapped out 21 extra-base hits for the weekend: 14 doubles and seven home runs.
oThe Cats also worked 18 walks and drew 10 hit by pitch.
oOPS was .945 for the weekend.
·15 players made their UK debut: OF Ben Aklinski, RHP Crosby Bringhurst, RHP Carson Coleman, 1B Brayden Combs, SS Trey Dawson, RHP Daniel Harper, LHP Mason Hazelwood, OF Cam Hill, OF Ryan Johnson, C/IF Coltyn Kessler, RHP Trip Lockhart, RHP Aaron McGeorge, RHP Jimmy Ramsey, IF Alex Rodriguez, OF Ryan Shinn
PLAYER NOTES
·Sophomore C/1B T.J. Collett
oCollett had four hits and six RBI on the weekend.
oOf his six career hits, five have gone for extra bases (three doubles, two home runs.
·Senior IF Luke Becker
oHit .333 for the week with five runs scored, two RBI, four walks and a stolen base.
oOf his five hits, four went for extra bases (three doubles, one home run).
oSlugged .733 in 15 at bats.
·Junior OF Ben Aklinski
oHe blasted his first career home run with a solo shot against USC Upstate
oHit .412 in his first week at the Division I level with a double, homer, two RBI and a stolen base.
·Senior C/1B Troy Squires
oSquires was hit by five pitches in the first three games and now has 19 HBP in his career.
oRecorded his 21st career sacrifice to move into ninth place on UK’s career list.
oHas a team-high .563 on-base percentage.
·Senior IF/OF Luke Heyer
oHeyer hit two home runs on the weekend, the only Cat to do so.
oHeyer is one of just eight SEC players to homer twice on opening weekend.
oHeyer’s home run in his first at bat of season is the first for a UK player since Luke Maile in 2010.
·Freshman RHP Daniel Harper
oHarper pitched 4.0 innings, giving up one earned run and striking out eight.
oStruck out five in a row at one point.
·Junior RHP Aaron McGeorge
oThe Lexington native earned a win in his first Division I appearance.
·Freshman RHP Jimmy Ramsey
oRamsey pitched 2.2 hitless innings, walking one and striking out one.
·Junior RHP Sean Hjelle
oPitched 6.0 innings to earn the win in the season opener at Wofford.
oGave up just two hits, one run and struck out three.
oHe is the second Kentucky pitcher since 2002 to throw at least six innings, give up two hits or less, and give up one earned run or less in a season opener (Andrew Albers vs. Appalachian State, Feb. 18, 2005).
oHe is now 16-5 in his career. His .762 winning percentage ranks third on UK’s career win-loss percentage list.
·Redshirt freshman RHP Carson Coleman
oIn his first collegiate outing, Coleman faced seven hitters, striking out five and allowing a walk.
oRecorded three hitless innings of work in two outings.
