[Stardust]

You can't win them all.

Even if you are Kentucky and you are ranked No. 1 in the country by the Collegiate Baseball poll.

Even if you lead the Eastern Division in the strongest baseball conference in the nation.

Even if you entered the game with a 22-1 record in your home park.

The Kentucky baseball team, ranked 2nd by Baseball America, got drubbed by visiting and No. 19 Louisville 12-0 on Tuesday night at Cliff Hagan Stadium.

In case you couldn't tell from the final score, it wasn't the Cats' night.

Starter A.J. Reed entered the night with a 4-0 record and a 2.42 ERA. He left after 22⁄3 innings, having given up five runs on nine hits. That should tell you something right there.

Second in the nation in batting average at .328, the Cats managed just one hit through the first four innings and three hits through seven.

They were out-hit 17-4.

They committed four errors.

They had won 21 straight non-conference games until Dan McDonnell's team came to town.

Austin Cousino entered hitting .365 on the season. He was hitless in four at-bats. A.J. Reed entered hitting .350. He was hitless in four at-bats. Luke Maile entered hitting .341. He went hitless, as well.

Before Tuesday, Kentucky had lost three baseball games by a total of nine runs. It took its fourth loss by 12 runs.

On the one hand, this is a rivalry game. Losses to a rival are never good.

It's Louisville. No matter the sport, Kentucky-Louisville means something. Consider that Tuesday night's game drew a season-high crowd of 3,563 on a cool night. Make that a cold night. If you were a Kentucky fan, very cold.

(By game's end, maybe 35 of the 3,563 were still in attendance.)

For someone (blush) who had not seen the surprise Cats play this season, it wasn't the best night to come out and catch nine innings.

On the other hand, in the grand scheme of things, the result means little besides state bragging rights. And let's be honest, thanks to that basketball game on March 31 in New Orleans, UK owns those rights for the foreseeable future.

As for baseball, Louisville would rather win the Big East. The Cards enter this weekend a game out of first place in the conference.

Kentucky would rather win the SEC. The Cats lead Florida by two games in the Eastern Division.

Consider that Reed, UK's starting pitcher on Tuesday, has not started an SEC game this season. His previous starts were against Morehead State, Marshall and Wright State. In college baseball, teams save their top starters for the weekends.

This weekend, the Cats travel to No. 11 Arkansas, where Fayetteville will surely still be talking about the stunning fall of football coach Bobby Petrino. Make that former football coach Bobby Petrino.

Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the spectrum, Tuesday night notwithstanding, UK Coach Gary Henderson has executed a tremendous turnaround.

His team was 13-17 in the SEC a year ago. It sits 9-3 this year, its best league start in school history. The Cats won 31 games all of last year. They are 30-4 this season, still the best start in school history.

Kentucky had won 21 straight games at home before Saturday's loss to Ole Miss. The Cats rebounded to rip the Rebels on Sunday to win their fourth SEC series in as many tries this spring.

In the midst of a disappointing season last year, Kentucky swept the Cardinals.

In the midst of a terrific season this year, Kentucky lost the first of two to the Cardinals. (This year's rematch comes April 24 at Louisville.)

That's the way it goes.

It's baseball.

Sometimes, it's just not your night.

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/04/10/21464...rylink=cpy