The University of Mississippi Athletics
Baseball Prepares For No. 23 Kentucky
3/30/2000 | Baseball
March 30, 2000
OXFORD, Miss. - The Ole Miss baseball team returns to Southeastern Conference road play this weekend with a three-game series against the Kentucky Wildcats in Lexington. Friday's series opener is 5 p.m. (CST) at Cliff Hagan Stadium. Saturday and Sunday's games will be at 1 p.m. both days.
The Rebels (16-11, 4-4 SEC) are fresh off Wednesday's emotional 3-2 victory over 11th-ranked Mississippi State in Jackson, Miss. It was the second straight Mayor's Trophy win for Ole Miss and evened out the Rebels' record in March to 8-8.
Carl Lafferty drove in the tying and go-ahead runs in the sixth inning and posted two of Ole Miss' three hits against MSU. The junior catcher continues to lead the team in batting and RBI with a .363 average and 25 runs driven in.
The Wildcats enter the weekend with 22-5 mark, 3-5 in the SEC, and a No. 23 ranking in Baseball Weekly. As a team, UK boasts the most homers in the conference with 34, led by senior John Wilson with 11 to go along with his .378 average.
"We face a real challenge this weekend in Kentucky," said Ole Miss head coach Pat Harrison. "Kentucky is a team with a lot of power and an outstanding pitching staff. Hopefully we can carry some momentum from Wednesday's win into this weekend."
Senior right-hander Jeff McAvoy is set to take the mound for the Rebels on Friday. McAvoy is 5-2 on the year with a 4.02 ERA. The Wildcats will counter with junior right-hander Brandon Webb, who has a 5-0 mark and a 3.47 ERA. Ole Miss' scheduled starter for game two is freshman RHP Brett Young (1-0, 5.88 ERA) with senior RHP Joey Cramblitt (3-4, 4.91 ERA) set to start Sunday's finale.
