Bat Cats fall to Samford 9-7, drop first midweek game of season
Behind early pitching woes, No. 8 Kentucky fell to Samford 9-7 Tuesday night in Birmingham. The Cats dropped to 7-1 in midweek competition this season.
Samford’s nine runs scored are the most allowed by Kentucky in midweek play this season. The Wildcat pitching staff has now allowed nine or more runs in a game just three times in 2024.
Nick Mingione sent out eight Wildcat pitchers, who combined to allow 11 hits and nine runs.
With the loss, Kentucky drops to 27-5 overall.
Players of the Game:
- RF James McCoy: McCoy continued his hot-streak Tuesday night, going 2-4 at the plate with two RBI.
- SS Grant Smith: Smith blasted his third home run in his last five games in the fifth inning, bringing in two runs.
- RHP Robert Hogan: Hogan was stellar in relief, allowing just one hit and one earned run while striking out three batters in 2 1/3 innings pitched.
Samford offense puts up five runs in first inning
RS freshman right-hander Drew Lafferty made his seventh start of the season for Kentucky Tuesday night. That start however lasted just 2/3 inning.
The Bulldog lineup batted all the way around, bringing 11 total hitters to bat in the opening frame.
Samford’s leadoff batter Garrett Staton reached first safely due to an error by Mitch Daly over at third, marking an early bad omen for the Cats. They took advantage of the early momentum, as their next two batters singled and doubled to bring in the first Bulldog run of the game.
The Samford offense continued to eat at Lafferty, as the right-hander walked two consecutive batters after giving up an RBI-single.
First baseman Jackson Harris then smacked a chopping two-run single up the middle, officially ending Lafferty’s start after he gave up his third and fourth runs of the opening frame.
Right-hander Cam O’Brien relieved Lafferty, but allowed Samford’s fifth run of the inning on a wild pitch. The Bat Cats suddenly found themselves in a five-run deficit early.
Bat Cats begin to chip away
Kentucky didn’t notch its first hit until the fourth inning and didn’t score its first run of the game until the fifth inning.
A James McCoy two-out single in the fifth kept the frame alive for Grant Smith, who blasted a two-run home run, his third of the season. The Cats were finally on the board.
Samford responded with a run of its own in the bottom of the fifth, which was immediately countered by Devin Burkes in the next half inning.
Burkes belted a solo home run over the left field fence, pulling the Cats back within three runs. Burkes’ home run kickstarted a three-run inning for Kentucky, which got them right back in the game.
Nolan McCarthy was plunked with two outs in the inning, loading the bases following a Nick Lopez single and a Ryan Nicholson walk. James McCoy continued his stellar play as of late, lacing a two-run single up the middle to drive in Kentucky’s fourth and fifth runs of the game. The Cats were right back in this one, trailing 6-5 midway through six.
Samford holds on for massive win
Once Kentucky pulled within one, the Bulldogs responded with a three-run inning of their own in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Following a leadoff single, Samford’s Angelo Prieto knocked a no-doubt two-run home run over the left field fence to extend their lead back to three. Left fielder Andrew Bennett then totaled his second RBI of the game, driving in a run via a single to close the inning.
Kentucky scored two runs in the seventh via an RBI-double from Emilien Pitre and an RBI sac-fly from Mitch Daly, but were unable to overcome the two-run deficit over the final two innings.
The Cats went down in order in the ninth, officially dropping their first midweek game of the season.
What’s next for No. 8 Kentucky?
Kentucky will travel two hours northwest to Auburn this weekend for its fifth SEC series of the season. They have won their first four conference series.
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