University of Tennessee
Kentucky
Kentucky Snaps Vols' Winning Streak
March 25, 2000 | Baseball
Kentucky scored two runs in the 10th inning to snap Tennessee's six-game winning streak by defeating the Volunteers 7-5 on Friday evening.
With the loss, Tennessee falls to 23-7, 3-3 in the Southeastern Conference while Kentucky improves to 20-5 and 2-4 in the SEC.
Tennessee got on the board first when junior Jeff Christensen hit a home run in the second to put the Vols ahead 1-0. The Vols added one more run in the third when Chris Burke doubled to score Jeff Baumtrog giving the squad a 2-0 lead.
Kentucky got their first run in the fifth inning when Jeff Meade hit a RBI double that scored Austin Madison to bring the Wildcats within one. Tennessee started the seventh inning with a crucial error by shortstop Stevie Daniel which put two Kentucky runners on base. Vol pitcher Jamie Bennett made a spectacular play at home when Kentucky tried to squeeze a run home off a bunt but Bennett was able to field the ball to catcher John Massey at home plate to make the out. But, three consecutive hits by the Wildcats scored four unearned runs to put Kentucky ahead 5-3.
Justin Parker hit a single in the seventh to give the Vols a runner on base with just one out. The Wildcat pitching staff walked Jeff Christensen putting two runners in the field and the winning run on the plate. On the next at-bat, Brandon Hopkins struckout but reached first base on a passed ball that scored Justin Parker to bring the Vols within one. John Massey brought in Jeff Christensen on a sacrifice that tied the game but Massey was ruled out on the play when he didn't advance to first base but instead went into the Tennessee dugout.
Kentucky broke away in the top of the 10th inning when Beau Moore hit a RBI single to score pinch runner Brad Pickrell. Jeff Meade brought in the final run off a RBI single to left field that scored Moore.
Brandon Webb took the win for Kentucky and now stands at 5-0 on the season while relief pitcher Brandon Crowe took the loss for the Vols and is now 2-1.
Tennessee and Kentucky will play game-two of the three-game series on Saturday in front of a Fox Sports Net television audience beginning at 4 p.m. at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
