RECAP: Cats Rally From 3-0 Hole in 9th, Give Mingione First Walk-Off Win
Kentucky's Austin Keen celebrated with Trey Dawson (left) after Dawson scored the game-tying run in the Wildcats' four-run ninth-inning rally against Western Kentucky.
Jeff Drummond/Cats Illustrated
Jeff Drummond • CatsIllustrated.com
@JDrumUK
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Kentucky created numerous memories at the ballpark during its storybook 2017 season under Nick Mingione.
One thing the Wildcats did not accomplish, however, was a walk-off win for their first-year coach.
The Cats crossed that off the to-do list on Tuesday, rallying from a three-run hole in the ninth inning to defeat Western Kentucky 4-3 at Cliff Hagan Stadium. Pinch-runner Cam Hill scored from third base on a passed ball to touch off a wild, overdue celebration by UK.
"I told coach (Todd Guilliams) in the seventh I want a walk-off for these guys so bad," Mingione said. "They need to know because you have to be able to experience it because, you know what, we're going to be in that situation again. We're going to be down going into the ninth, and we're going to have to do something to get us a win. And the fact that we've been there and done it is good."
For eight innings, No. 7 Kentucky (8-1) looked like a snakebit team experiencing "one of those days." Hard-hit balls were right at defenders. The Hilltoppers made a handful of diving stops. Double plays erased three promising innings.
The ninth was a different story.
After falling behind 0-2 in the count, junior outfielder Ryan Johnson bashed a one-out home run to right field to get the Cats on the board. An infield single by Luke Heyer brought the tying run to the plate. After Ryan Shinn flew out to center, Trey Dawson doubled into the left-centerfield gap.
That brought Troy Squires to the plate. The senior first baseman fell behind 0-2 and nearly saw his coach ejected from the game for arguing a call during the at-bat before lacing a two-run single to centerfield to tie the game.
"We have a saying, hit it through the pitcher's knees with two outs," Squires said. "That's all I was trying to do, hit it through the pitcher's knees and get a fastball... I thought it was a good swing."
Perhaps rattled, Western Kentucky (5-4) was its own worst enemy from that point on. An error by third baseman Sam McElreath, his first in nine games this season, allowed UK's Ben Aklinski to reach base and advanced pinch runner Cam Hill to second. A wild pitch by Ryan Thurston moved up the runners, and a passed ball by catcher Colin Butkiewicz allowed the winning run to score.
"Last Tuesday, we were in a very similar situation (in a 3-2 extra-inning loss to Xavier)," Mingione said. "We had a chance to tie it, if not take the lead and win the baseball game, and we tried to do too much. That did not happen tonight in the ninth.
"One thing we've always said is that we've created a learning environment, and for our players to be in a very similar situation and to basically do the total opposite of what we did a week ago today, I'm just so proud of them and thankful for the Big Blue Nation to come out because that was obviously a home-field advantage and I believe in my heart that our fans helped us get that win today."
Pitching his first game for the Cats after recovering from a glove-hand injury, junior right-hander Zach Haake (1-0) earned his first win after striking out three WKU batters in the top of the ninth. More than a dozen scouts were at Cliff Hagan Stadium to watch the elite prospect throw for the first time in a UK game.
Kentucky got four innings of scoreless relief from Haake, Brad Schaenzer and Jimmy Ramsey in relief of starter Daniel Harper, who allowed three runs on three hits over five solid innings on the mound.
Ben Morrison (0-1) took the loss for the Hilltoppers, allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits in the ninth inning.
It was a tough no-decision for WKU starter Evan Acosta, who threw six innings of shutout baseball, holding UK to just three hits.
The Hilltoppers got a two-run homer from Ray Zuberer III in the fifth inning to highlight their offensive attack.
The Cats return to action this weekend in the Shriners Hospitals For Children College Classic at Minute Maid Park, the home of the MLB champion Houston Astros. UK will face strong competition in the form of No. 19 Houston, Sam Houston State and Louisiana. The games will be streamed at www.Astros.com and also will air on AT&T SportsNet SW.
Kentucky's Austin Keen celebrated with Trey Dawson (left) after Dawson scored the game-tying run in the Wildcats' four-run ninth-inning rally against Western Kentucky.
Jeff Drummond/Cats Illustrated
Jeff Drummond • CatsIllustrated.com
@JDrumUK
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Kentucky created numerous memories at the ballpark during its storybook 2017 season under Nick Mingione.
One thing the Wildcats did not accomplish, however, was a walk-off win for their first-year coach.
The Cats crossed that off the to-do list on Tuesday, rallying from a three-run hole in the ninth inning to defeat Western Kentucky 4-3 at Cliff Hagan Stadium. Pinch-runner Cam Hill scored from third base on a passed ball to touch off a wild, overdue celebration by UK.
"I told coach (Todd Guilliams) in the seventh I want a walk-off for these guys so bad," Mingione said. "They need to know because you have to be able to experience it because, you know what, we're going to be in that situation again. We're going to be down going into the ninth, and we're going to have to do something to get us a win. And the fact that we've been there and done it is good."
For eight innings, No. 7 Kentucky (8-1) looked like a snakebit team experiencing "one of those days." Hard-hit balls were right at defenders. The Hilltoppers made a handful of diving stops. Double plays erased three promising innings.
The ninth was a different story.
After falling behind 0-2 in the count, junior outfielder Ryan Johnson bashed a one-out home run to right field to get the Cats on the board. An infield single by Luke Heyer brought the tying run to the plate. After Ryan Shinn flew out to center, Trey Dawson doubled into the left-centerfield gap.
That brought Troy Squires to the plate. The senior first baseman fell behind 0-2 and nearly saw his coach ejected from the game for arguing a call during the at-bat before lacing a two-run single to centerfield to tie the game.
"We have a saying, hit it through the pitcher's knees with two outs," Squires said. "That's all I was trying to do, hit it through the pitcher's knees and get a fastball... I thought it was a good swing."
Perhaps rattled, Western Kentucky (5-4) was its own worst enemy from that point on. An error by third baseman Sam McElreath, his first in nine games this season, allowed UK's Ben Aklinski to reach base and advanced pinch runner Cam Hill to second. A wild pitch by Ryan Thurston moved up the runners, and a passed ball by catcher Colin Butkiewicz allowed the winning run to score.
"Last Tuesday, we were in a very similar situation (in a 3-2 extra-inning loss to Xavier)," Mingione said. "We had a chance to tie it, if not take the lead and win the baseball game, and we tried to do too much. That did not happen tonight in the ninth.
"One thing we've always said is that we've created a learning environment, and for our players to be in a very similar situation and to basically do the total opposite of what we did a week ago today, I'm just so proud of them and thankful for the Big Blue Nation to come out because that was obviously a home-field advantage and I believe in my heart that our fans helped us get that win today."
Pitching his first game for the Cats after recovering from a glove-hand injury, junior right-hander Zach Haake (1-0) earned his first win after striking out three WKU batters in the top of the ninth. More than a dozen scouts were at Cliff Hagan Stadium to watch the elite prospect throw for the first time in a UK game.
Kentucky got four innings of scoreless relief from Haake, Brad Schaenzer and Jimmy Ramsey in relief of starter Daniel Harper, who allowed three runs on three hits over five solid innings on the mound.
Ben Morrison (0-1) took the loss for the Hilltoppers, allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits in the ninth inning.
It was a tough no-decision for WKU starter Evan Acosta, who threw six innings of shutout baseball, holding UK to just three hits.
The Hilltoppers got a two-run homer from Ray Zuberer III in the fifth inning to highlight their offensive attack.
The Cats return to action this weekend in the Shriners Hospitals For Children College Classic at Minute Maid Park, the home of the MLB champion Houston Astros. UK will face strong competition in the form of No. 19 Houston, Sam Houston State and Louisiana. The games will be streamed at www.Astros.com and also will air on AT&T SportsNet SW.
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