No. 12 Kentucky Hosts No. 11 Alabama for Critical SEC Series

LEXINGTON, Ky. – For the first time since the opening weekend of conference play, No. 12 Kentucky will welcome a Southeastern Conference opponent to the friendly confines of Kentucky Proud Park, hosting No. 11 Alabama in a crucial three-game series. Play from Lexington will commence on Friday, April 5 at 6:30 p.m. ET. The middle game of the series will be played on Saturday, April 6 at 2 p.m. ET, and the series will conclude on Sunday, April 7 at Noon ET. The first two games of the weekend will be streamed live on SEC Network +, with the series finale being televised on the SEC Network. All three games will feature a radio broadcast via the UK Sports Network.

Friday’s series opener will be the first home game for the Cats since a March 26 win over Miami (OH), as the Wildcats’ return to Kentucky Proud Park was postponed three days after weather in the Lexington area forced the first of two rivalry games against Louisville to be cancelled.

Kentucky (23-4, 8-1 SEC) enters the weekend in first place in the East Division and tied for first place in the overall conference table. The Wildcats are ranked in all five polls for the second-consecutive week, rising as high as No. 12 (Perfect Game) after sweeping Ole Miss in Oxford for the first time in program history.

In SEC games only, Kentucky is leading the conference in batting average (.320) and is third in the league in earned run average (3.81). The Wildcats also lead the league in overall hit by pitches (60), stolen bases (68), and sacrifice bunts (20). Graduate INF Nick Lopez leads the Wildcat offense, as his .412 batting average is fourth best in the SEC. Junior RHP Mason Moore has been dominant in his Sunday starting role, leading the conference in wins (6) and holding a team-leading 2.87 ERA among starters.

This is the first time this season Kentucky will face a consensus top-25 opponent, as the Crimson Tide rolls into Lexington ranked as high as 11 (Baseball America) and slotted in the top-15 in all five recognized polls. Alabama (22-7, 4-5 SEC) sits in third place in the West Division after three weeks of conference play. The Tide boast home series wins over No. 6 Tennessee and No. 10 South Carolina but was swept on the road at Georgia. Before heading to Lexington, Alabama travelled to Birmingham and defeated Samford 11-10 on Wednesday.

Junior INF Gage Miller leads the Crimson Tide, batting an impressive .450 clip that is good for second in the SEC. Alabama holds the second highest overall batting average in the league, hitting .326 as a team. Saturday starter LHP Greg Farone has led the Crimson Tide rotation, boasting an undefeated 3-0 record on the bump while holding a 2.93 ERA, a team-best among starters.

Following the series against the Crimson Tide, the Wildcats will continue its seven-game stretch against teams from the Yellowhammer State, traveling south for a four-game stretch in Alabama. Kentucky will play at Samford on Tuesday, April 9 at 7:30 p.m. ET, before heading to Auburn for a Thursday-Saturday series on the Plains. The opener between the Cats and Tigers will be featured on ESPNU on Thursday, April 11 at 7:30 p.m. ET, before the two teams wrap up the series with games on Friday, April 12 at 7 p.m. ET and Saturday, April 13 at 3 p.m. ET. The final two games of the series will be streamed on the SEC Network +, with audio broadcasts of all four games of the road trip available on the UK Sports Network.