Kentucky downs Vanderbilt 10-5, wins program record 21st SEC game
No. 2 Kentucky took down Vanderbilt 10-5 Thursday night to open its final series of the regular season.
Left fielder Ryan Waldschmidt continued his rise as one of the SEC’s top players, as he went 3-3 with a home run, a double, and three RBI. Thursday night’s game marked Waldschmidt’s 10th of the season where he notched at least three or more hits in a game.
With the win, the Cats notched their 21st SEC win of the season, which sets the new program record. Their previous high for SEC wins in a season came back in 2006, when the SEC co-champions finished with a 20-10 record.
“We’ve had 82 seasons,” Nick Mingione said postgame. “When you think about that, hopefully they can continue to do things that have never been done before.”
Kentucky has now set itself up to where it needs to win just one of the two remaining games to clinch at least a share of the SEC regular season title. A sweep would ensure Kentucky would win its first ever outright conference title.
The Bat Cats improve to 38-11 (21-7) and remain solely atop the SEC with two games remaining.
Players of the Game:
- LF Ryan Waldschmidt: Waldschmidt’s SEC heater continued Thursday night, as he went 3-3 at the plate with a home run, a double, and three RBI.
- RHP Trey Pooser: Pooser pitched five innings, allowing five hits and four earned runs with four strikeouts. He earned his fourth win of the season.
- DH Nick Lopez: Lopez went 2-4 at the plate with two extra base hits Thursday night, an RBI-double and a solo home run.
Cats respond quick to early Vandy blow
Before all the fans in attendance at Kentucky Proud Park Thursday night could get settled into their seats, Vanderbilt took an immediate 1-0 lead.
Vandy’s leadoff hitter Jonathan Vastine belted Kentucky right-hander Trey Pooser’s opening pitch to straight away center field for a leadoff solo home run, his ninth of the season. The Commodores entered the weekend second to last in the SEC in total home runs hit (58).
“Anytime you give up a leadoff homer on the first pitch, you’ve got to get back in the strike zone,” Mingione said. “And what did [Pooser] do after that? 1-2-3, then 1-2-3, so he retired six or seven in a row after that. He did a good job.”
Kentucky responded fast, as Ryan Waldschmidt led off the bottom of the first with his 11th double in SEC play, which ranks second in the conference just behind South Carolina’s Cole Messina (12). Émilien Pitre walked and Devin Burkes reached first on a successful bunt down the third base line, loading the bases with no outs.
Nick Lopez delivered with an RBI sac-fly to center field, bringing in Waldschmidt from third to tie the game. The Cats scored two more runs in the inning on a Mitch Daly RBI sac-bunt and a James McCoy drawn walk with the bases loaded, propelling Kentucky to a 3-1 lead.
Waldschmidt highlights four-run third inning
For the second time in just the first three innings, Kentucky loaded the bases once again in the third.
Mitch Daly, who is celebrating a birthday, led off the inning with a single to left field. Ryan Nicholson followed him with a dribbler back to the Vanderbilt pitcher, but Cunningham sailed to throw to second allowing both runners to reach safely. James McCoy’s second drawn walk of the game then brought Grant Smith once again with ducks on the pond.
Smith, in his first game back from his lower leg injury which caused him to miss the Florida series, belted a hard hit line-drive to deep left field. The ball was caught, allowing Daly to trot home safely.
Runners remained on first and second for red-hot Ryan Waldschmidt, who doubled in the first inning.
Waldschmidt continued his surge for an All-SEC selection, as he demolished a 430 foot three-run home run to left center field to increase Kentucky’s lead to six runs. His third-inning home run marked his 44th hit in SEC play, which is tied for second in the conference with Georgia phenom Charlie Condon.
“We were messing around in batting practice trying to see who could hit one into the bleachers,” Waldschmidt said postgame. “I hit it and was like ‘oh no, no way I think I did it’ but it went just a little bit to the right. It would’ve been pretty cool to put the first one in those bleachers. It was pretty awesome to see fans out there for the first time.”
Trey Pooser turns in another solid outing
Trey Pooser opened the game by giving up a leadoff home run, but he shut down the Vanderbilt lineup over his next three frames of action.
The right-hander held the Commodores hitless over the three-inning span before he ran into trouble in the fifth. Pooser gave up three runs in the fifth, but ended his day by striking out Vanderbilt’s Alan Espinal with runners on second and third to get out of the inning.
A Nolan McCarthy RBI sac-fly in the fourth and a Devin Burkes two-out RBI-double in the fifth ensured the Cats held an 9-4 lead through five innings. Burkes continues to heat up as we approach postseason play, as he’s notched at least two hits in four of Kentucky’s last four games.
“Like I say every year,” Burkes said postgame. “It’s crunch time. Real dogs come out when it’s late in the season. I was in the same scenario and same position last year. Nothing’s ever changed, I’m just trying to give all my at-bats to the boys. That’s how I become successful.”
Burkes was named the Lexington Regional Most Outstanding Player in 2023.
Kentucky opens series with victory
Vanderbilt put up a run in the seventh on an RBI-groundout, but none more.
Nick Lopez provided the Cats with an insurance solo home run in the eighth inning, increasing Kentucky’s lead to five. It marked Lopez’s sixth longball of the season.
Right-hander Robert Hogan, left-hander Jackson Nove, and right-hander Cam O’Brien pitched the final four innings in relief, allowing just three hits and one earned run.
O’Brien took over in the ninth and sat the Commodores down in order, cementing the win.
Victory, Cayts.
What’s next for No. 2 Kentucky?
No. 2 Kentucky will be looking to take the series over Vanderbilt Friday night at 6:30 p.m. EST. With a win, the Cats would clinch at least a share of their second ever SEC regular season championship.
If Friday night’s game is cancelled due to weather, Sunday is available as a make-up day.
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