WildcatRick
05-20-2008, 04:15 PM
After claiming series wins in four of its past five series, the No. 19 Kentucky Wildcats travel to Hoover, Ala., for its 14th all-time appearance in the Southeastern Conference baseball tournament, beginning with a first round matchup with fifth-seeded Alabama, on Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET at Regions Park.
Kentucky (41-15, 16-14 SEC) is the only team in the SEC to total 40-plus wins, as well as posting the fewest losses in the conference. Riding wins in seven of its last eight games, UK will face the Crimson Tide for the fourth times and the first since 1998. Alabama and Kentucky also met in the 1955 SEC Playoffs, with Alabama winning the best-of-five series, 3-1.
UK and Alabama opened up the SEC season with a three-game set, with the Wildcats sweeping the series, 7-5, 15-2, 6-1. UK trails the all-time series with Alabama, 47-29, including a 3-1 mark at neutral site locations.
The Wildcats have been led by the best offense in the league, ranking as the SEC leader in 13 offensive categories, including average (.322), slugging (.525), on-base percentage (.418), runs scored (466), hits (622), RBI (421), doubles (136), total bases (1013), total plate appearances (2365), walks (256), hit by pitches (83), sac bunts (66) and sac flies (30). UK also leads the SEC in ERA (3.41), ranking second in fielding percentage (.974).
Individually, UK has been paced at the plate by its two National Player of the Year candidates, Sawyer Carroll and Collin Cowgill. Carroll leads the league in average (.416) and RBI (77), ranking amongst the conference leaders in nearly every offensive stat, including slugging (.756, 3rd), on-base percentage (.510), runs scored (58, 6th), hits (87, 2nd), doubles (19, 4th), home runs (16, 6th), total bases (158, 3rd) and walks (38, 8th). Cowgill also ranks among the SEC leaders in nearly every category, including average (10th), slugging (.703, 5th), on-base percentage (.487, 6th), runs scored (70, 2nd), RBI (56, 6th), home runs (18, 4th), total bases (147, 4th), walks (44, 3rd), steals (20, 4th).
http://www.ukathletics.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=36&url_article_id=22136&change_well_id=2
Kentucky (41-15, 16-14 SEC) is the only team in the SEC to total 40-plus wins, as well as posting the fewest losses in the conference. Riding wins in seven of its last eight games, UK will face the Crimson Tide for the fourth times and the first since 1998. Alabama and Kentucky also met in the 1955 SEC Playoffs, with Alabama winning the best-of-five series, 3-1.
UK and Alabama opened up the SEC season with a three-game set, with the Wildcats sweeping the series, 7-5, 15-2, 6-1. UK trails the all-time series with Alabama, 47-29, including a 3-1 mark at neutral site locations.
The Wildcats have been led by the best offense in the league, ranking as the SEC leader in 13 offensive categories, including average (.322), slugging (.525), on-base percentage (.418), runs scored (466), hits (622), RBI (421), doubles (136), total bases (1013), total plate appearances (2365), walks (256), hit by pitches (83), sac bunts (66) and sac flies (30). UK also leads the SEC in ERA (3.41), ranking second in fielding percentage (.974).
Individually, UK has been paced at the plate by its two National Player of the Year candidates, Sawyer Carroll and Collin Cowgill. Carroll leads the league in average (.416) and RBI (77), ranking amongst the conference leaders in nearly every offensive stat, including slugging (.756, 3rd), on-base percentage (.510), runs scored (58, 6th), hits (87, 2nd), doubles (19, 4th), home runs (16, 6th), total bases (158, 3rd) and walks (38, 8th). Cowgill also ranks among the SEC leaders in nearly every category, including average (10th), slugging (.703, 5th), on-base percentage (.487, 6th), runs scored (70, 2nd), RBI (56, 6th), home runs (18, 4th), total bases (147, 4th), walks (44, 3rd), steals (20, 4th).
http://www.ukathletics.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=36&url_article_id=22136&change_well_id=2