WKU readies for midweek game against UK
March 24, 2015
By Derek Terry
Fresh off of an impressive series win over No. 20 Mississippi State this past weekend, UK baseball (15-8) travels to Bowling Green, Ky., on Tuesday to take on Western Kentucky (12-10).
The game will be the first of two matchups this season between the clubs. The teams will play again in Lexington on April 14.
Against Miss St., the Cats were led by junior centerfielder Kyle Barrett. The lefty was named the SEC Offensive Player Of The Week after going 10-18 at the plate. Barrett also hit his first homerun of the season in Friday night’s 10-2 win.
“I was seeing the ball well,” Barrett said. “Me and (Rick) Eckstein have been working on my approach at the plate a little bit and I just trusted in that. It worked out for me.”
Head coach Gary Henderson likes what he’s seen from Barrett so far this season.
“Kyle has done a really good job all year hitting line drives,” Henderson said. “He’s done a nice job getting on base. He’s near the league leaders in numbers of hits. He’s got a nice average and can steal bases. He’s gotten off to a really good start.”
WKU enters Tuesday’s game winners of five of its last six. The Hilltoppers are led at the plate by senior Philip Diedrick and junior Anderson Miller
Diedrick is off to a hot start this season, hitting .342 with 26 hits, four doubles, three homeruns and 11 runs batted in.
Miller, a native of Lexington, played his high school ball at Lafayette High School and was a Second-Team All-Sun Belt Conference performer last season, has carried over his impressive play into this season. Miller has seven homeruns to lead the team and hits .338 with 18 RBI.
Monday will be a mandatory off day for UK so Henderson will study film to get a better look at the Hilltoppers.
“We’ll have a good idea of what they do on the mound and at the plate by the time we get down there,” Henderson said. “We’re going to be ready for an extremely competitive game.”
