Cats pound Hilltoppers 15-0
Jeff Drummond • CatsIllustrated.com
@JDrumUK
TJ Collett gets UK rolling with three-run homer in first inning and Cats cruise to their biggest scoring output of the season in final tune-up for SEC play.
Kentucky left fielder Ryan Shinn made a sliding catch in the second inning of Wednesday's game against Western Kentucky.
Jeff Drummond/Cats Illustrated
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- The Wildcats took advantage of five Western Kentucky errors in the first inning -- including one on a foul ball that could have ended the frame without any damage -- and TJ Collett made the Hilltoppers pay with a three-run homer that set the tone for a 15-0 victory on Wednesday at Kentucky Proud Park.
In its final tune-up before opening SEC play, Kentucky (13-4) pounded out 13 hits, drew seven walks and was hit by six pitches on a rough day for the WKU pitching staff.
Sophomore catcher Coltyn Kessler pushed his team-leading batting average to .447 with a 3-for-3 day at the plate. He was one of five Cats with multi-hit days, including two apiece for Breydon Daniel, Ryan Shinn, Dalton Reed and Collett.
Reed and Collett each drove in four runs for the Cats. Jaren Shelby and Kessler each added two RBI.
The UK pitching staff enjoyed the strong run support but did not really need it. Six pitchers combined to hold the Hilltoppers to only three hits on the day. Starter Dillon Marsh (2-1) allowed no runs on one hit over four innings of work and struck out three.
Ben Jordan, Tyler Burchett, Braxton Cottongame, Brett Marshall and Trip Lockhart came out of the UK bullpen to hold WKU to only two hits over the final five innings. The Cats' staff struck out nine and walked none in the game.
It marked UK's second shutout in their new home stadium.
The Hilltoppers' Troy Newell (1-2) started and took the loss, thanks in part to the shaky defense behind him. He allowed six runs but only two were earned over 3.2 innings on the mound.
Western Kentucky dropped to 6-9 on the season.
Kentucky returns to action on Friday in the first of a three-game series at No. 11 LSU. Game one is slated to start at 8 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on SEC Network Plus.
Jeff Drummond • CatsIllustrated.com
@JDrumUK
TJ Collett gets UK rolling with three-run homer in first inning and Cats cruise to their biggest scoring output of the season in final tune-up for SEC play.
Kentucky left fielder Ryan Shinn made a sliding catch in the second inning of Wednesday's game against Western Kentucky.
Jeff Drummond/Cats Illustrated
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- The Wildcats took advantage of five Western Kentucky errors in the first inning -- including one on a foul ball that could have ended the frame without any damage -- and TJ Collett made the Hilltoppers pay with a three-run homer that set the tone for a 15-0 victory on Wednesday at Kentucky Proud Park.
In its final tune-up before opening SEC play, Kentucky (13-4) pounded out 13 hits, drew seven walks and was hit by six pitches on a rough day for the WKU pitching staff.
Sophomore catcher Coltyn Kessler pushed his team-leading batting average to .447 with a 3-for-3 day at the plate. He was one of five Cats with multi-hit days, including two apiece for Breydon Daniel, Ryan Shinn, Dalton Reed and Collett.
Reed and Collett each drove in four runs for the Cats. Jaren Shelby and Kessler each added two RBI.
The UK pitching staff enjoyed the strong run support but did not really need it. Six pitchers combined to hold the Hilltoppers to only three hits on the day. Starter Dillon Marsh (2-1) allowed no runs on one hit over four innings of work and struck out three.
Ben Jordan, Tyler Burchett, Braxton Cottongame, Brett Marshall and Trip Lockhart came out of the UK bullpen to hold WKU to only two hits over the final five innings. The Cats' staff struck out nine and walked none in the game.
It marked UK's second shutout in their new home stadium.
The Hilltoppers' Troy Newell (1-2) started and took the loss, thanks in part to the shaky defense behind him. He allowed six runs but only two were earned over 3.2 innings on the mound.
Western Kentucky dropped to 6-9 on the season.
Kentucky returns to action on Friday in the first of a three-game series at No. 11 LSU. Game one is slated to start at 8 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on SEC Network Plus.
