The University of Kentucky Wildcats had their final game of the weekend series against the
South Carolina Gamecocks winning, 11-5.
The starting line up was Tyler Bell, Kyuss Gargett, Carson Hansen, Cole Hage, Devine Burkes,
Shaun Montoya, Ryan Schwartz, Luke Lawrence and James McCoys. Ben Cleaver was first on
the mound for the Cats.
The first two innings of the game remained scoreless before the Gamecocks broke out first in
the top of the third. Will Tippett was walked and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Gavin
Braland then singled to right, bringing Tippett across home plate for the game’s first run. The
Cats responded quickly at the bottom of the inning, with Lawrence hammering a homer to even
the score 1-1.
The Kentucky offense took off in the bottom of the fourth, adding on five more runs. Burkes was
walked, then Montoya followed with a single that allowed Burkes to advance to second. Both
runners stole bases, putting them in prime scoring position, and Schwartz hit a single to left
bringing both runners home. Lawrence then hit a single which advanced Schwartz, and both
runners stole bases. McCoy was hit by a pitch which loaded up the bases for Bell. Bell
hammered a double, bringing home McCoy, Lawrence and Schwartz. That would be the last of
the runs the BatCats would score before the inning finished.
South Carolina answered in the top of the sixth, adding two more runs. Evan Stone and Henry
Kaczmar both walked, and a single from Nathan Hall brought Stone home. Hall and Kaczmar
then advanced on a wild pitch. Kennedy Jones was walked, and Dalton Mashore followed with a
hit that scored Kaczmar. Evan Byers then came in to relieve Cleaver and then closed out the
frame.
Kentucky added another run in the bottom of the sixth to extend their lead to 7-3. Lawrence
reached first on a fielding error and then advanced to second. He continued moving after a
pitching error and then crossed home plate on a throwing error.
In the top of the eighth, Jackson Nove came in to relieve Byers. Jones led off with a double that
was followed by a single from Mashore. KJ Scobey then hit a single, bringing in Jones, and
Cayden Gaskin followed with another single to bring Mashore home. James McCoy then took
over for Nove and closed out the frame. The Gamecocks are fighting to stay alive, now trailing
5-7.
In the bottom of the eighth, the BatCats widened the gap, adding four more runs to the board.
Brown singled and Lawrence walked. McCoy laid down a bunt that advanced both Lawrence
and Brown putting them in prime scoring positions, and Bell walked, which loaded up the bases.
Gargett followed with a single that brought home Brown, keeping the bases loaded.
Griffin Cameron walked which brought home Lawrence.Hage hit a single to left which allowed Bell and
Gargett to score. Those would be the final runs of the game making the final score, 11-5.
Kentucky baseball will return Tuesday in Bowling Green to take on the Western Kentucky
hilltoppers. The game is set to start at 7 p.m.
Written by: Ainsley Saurers
Discover more from Bleed Blue Network
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
