UK Baseball 2015 Season Preview
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(Image via @UKbaseball)[/caption]
March Madness and the “Pursuit of Perfection” isn’t the only thing to look forward to this time of year. Baseball season is upon us and Coach Gary Henderson’s bunch is looking to keep UK’s baseball program trending upward. The Cats, coming off a 37-25 campaign last season and a Louisville Regional runner-up in the NCAA tournament, will have to fill the void of departed stars like AJ Reed and Austin Cousino to compete in the hyper-competitive SEC.
While the loss of a few major contributors seems overwhelming, the Wildcats return a myriad of veterans whose presence will be crucial for the success of this year’s team. Look for the 6-7, 245 pound (!!!) junior starting pitcher, Kyle Cody, to have a big year on the mound. Cody was named a third team preseason All-America selection by Baseball America and should strike fear in the hearts of opposing batters while anchoring the pitching staff.
Senior infielder Thomas Bernal is a preseason All-SEC selection by many after hitting .349 in conference play a year ago and will make the switch from first to third base to welcome in the highly touted freshman first baseman, Evan White. Electrifying sophomore second baseman JaVon Shelby will also play a pivotal role in 2015.
The Wildcats’ outfield will be solid once again, led by 2014 first team All-SEC left fielder Ka’ai Tom. Kyle Barrett and Storm Wilson join Tom in center and right, respectively, and should serve as emotional leaders on a team that will play a gritty brand of baseball.
Other positions to keep an eye on will be at catcher and shortstop where Michael Thomas and Matt Reida will be replaced by redshirt junior Greg Fettes and sophomore Connor Heady, respectively. Coach Henderson has confidence that depth at these two positions will pay dividends for his team down the road.
The 2015 season offers the opportunity for fans to get more SEC baseball coverage than ever before with the arrival of the SEC Network. The Cats will be featured on the SEC Network or SEC Network+ for 47 of their 56 regular season games. Kentucky begins its season this Friday at 12:00 p.m. ET as they travel to take on Ball State in the first game of a weekend trifecta in Wilmington, NC.
GO BIG BLUE!!!
@STHowle
(Image via @UKbaseball)[/caption]
March Madness and the “Pursuit of Perfection” isn’t the only thing to look forward to this time of year. Baseball season is upon us and Coach Gary Henderson’s bunch is looking to keep UK’s baseball program trending upward. The Cats, coming off a 37-25 campaign last season and a Louisville Regional runner-up in the NCAA tournament, will have to fill the void of departed stars like AJ Reed and Austin Cousino to compete in the hyper-competitive SEC.
While the loss of a few major contributors seems overwhelming, the Wildcats return a myriad of veterans whose presence will be crucial for the success of this year’s team. Look for the 6-7, 245 pound (!!!) junior starting pitcher, Kyle Cody, to have a big year on the mound. Cody was named a third team preseason All-America selection by Baseball America and should strike fear in the hearts of opposing batters while anchoring the pitching staff.
Senior infielder Thomas Bernal is a preseason All-SEC selection by many after hitting .349 in conference play a year ago and will make the switch from first to third base to welcome in the highly touted freshman first baseman, Evan White. Electrifying sophomore second baseman JaVon Shelby will also play a pivotal role in 2015.
The Wildcats’ outfield will be solid once again, led by 2014 first team All-SEC left fielder Ka’ai Tom. Kyle Barrett and Storm Wilson join Tom in center and right, respectively, and should serve as emotional leaders on a team that will play a gritty brand of baseball.
Other positions to keep an eye on will be at catcher and shortstop where Michael Thomas and Matt Reida will be replaced by redshirt junior Greg Fettes and sophomore Connor Heady, respectively. Coach Henderson has confidence that depth at these two positions will pay dividends for his team down the road.
The 2015 season offers the opportunity for fans to get more SEC baseball coverage than ever before with the arrival of the SEC Network. The Cats will be featured on the SEC Network or SEC Network+ for 47 of their 56 regular season games. Kentucky begins its season this Friday at 12:00 p.m. ET as they travel to take on Ball State in the first game of a weekend trifecta in Wilmington, NC.
GO BIG BLUE!!!
@STHowle
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