UK baseball looks to cure inconsistencies against Louisville
UK designated hitter A.J. Reed hits a deep fly ball during the game between the University of Kentucky baseball team vs. Wright State University in Lexington , Ky.,on Tuesday, February 25, 2014. Photo by Michael Reaves
April 15, 2014
By Josh Huff
Coming off a weekend series loss to Missouri, UK baseball travels to Louisville Tuesday at 6 p.m. for team in-state rivals’ second contest of the season.
No. 15 UK won the first game against Louisville 8-3 two weeks ago, but head into Jim Patterson Stadium after dropping three of its past four games. In a crucial position-jostling series against SEC foe Missouri, UK (23-13, 7-8 SEC) fell short, losing two as the Tigers took the series. The losses were among three against sub-.500 teams last week as the Cats lost also to Morehead State on Tuesday.
Louisville (27-8) swept No. 7 Houston in Texas last weekend. The Cardinals are winners of five consecutive games.
UK’s offense has become inconsistent and their pitching rotation has more questions than answers. Junior A.J. Reed continues to be the Cats anchor, posting a 6-1 record with a 2.29 earned run average and 42 strikeouts. Behind him, no other pitcher has cemented his status as a legitimate starter with the exception of sophomore Dylan Dwyer (4-1), who pitched seven shutout innings against the Tigers Saturday.
UK’s pitching staff will have their hands full slowing down a Cardinals team that averages 7.4 runs a game. The Cardinals posted 10 runs Sunday against a Houston team that only allows 2.5 runs a game.
The Cats will continue to look to Reed to bolster an offense that averages 8.6 runs a game. Reed has hit .374 with 49 hits, 14 home runs and 48 runs batted in. Reed’s front man, junior Max Kuhn, sets Reed up with a team high 50 hits and has an on base percentage of .458. Senior Micheal Thomas is second on the team with 35 RBIs and six home runs.
“It’s been awhile since there has been one of these guys in the league,” head coach Gary Henderson said about Reed. “One thing about A.J. is that he’s doing it with a dramatically different bat. It’s pretty impressive; he’s seeing it good right now, taking good swings … Even win he swings and misses, he doesn’t get out of his game.”
