Bat Cats Roll Through Lipscomb 16-1 on Saturday
The Wildcat offense exploded for 16 runs on 11 hits Saturday as they rolled through Lipscomb 16-1.
Saturday’s 16-1 drumming marked Kentucky’s first mercy rule win of the season.
After entering the weekend with a .243 team batting average, the Wildcat bats have totaled 21 hits and 23 runs through their first two games of the weekend series. Due to their success at the plate, their team batting average has jumped 20 points to .263. Getting the bats going was a priority this weekend, and the Bat Cats have certainly executed it to perfection.
Seven different players recorded an RBI, with Emilien Pitre leading the way with four. Ryan Waldschmidt, Nick Lopez, Ryan Nicholson, and Griffin Cameron all recorded two RBI.
Kentucky improves to 9-1 on the season.
Double Trouble
The Wildcat offense caught “double fever” on Saturday, as the Bat Cats totaled six doubles by four different players. Emilien Pitre and Nick Lopez both knocked two apiece. Seven of their 16 runs scored came via a double.
Kentucky jumped in front 4-0 in the first three innings, totaling at least one run in each inning. Nick Lopez got things started with an RBI-double in the first, Emilien Pitre tacked on two more runs with a two-run double in the second, and a Griffin Cameron sac-fly increased their lead to four in the third.
It wasn’t until the fourth inning where the Cats took total control of the game.
Big Innings Strike Again
Lipscomb cut the deficit to three in the top of the fourth, but never got closer than that.
Grant Smith and Ryan Waldschmidt put two quick runners on with an inning-opening walk and single, setting up Emilien Pitre nicely. Pitre roped his second two-run double of the game, driving in both runners to extend the Wildcat lead to five.
Pitre’s double was the first of three in a row, as Patrick Herrera and Nick Lopez delivered with doubles of their own to drive in two more runs. Before you knew it, the Bat Cats suddenly held a 9-1 lead.
Dominic Niman shines again
In his third start as a Wildcat, LHP Dominic Niman shined again.
Niman pitched 6.0 innings, allowing just four hits and one earned run while striking out five batters.
Niman suffered what looked to be a calf injury in the fourth inning, but he quickly returned to the game. The NCBWA Preseason First Team All-American has certainly looked the part so far this season.
Bat Cats by TKO
Kentucky cemented their dominant victory with seven runs in the bottom of the sixth.
The bases were quickly loaded due to three straight inning-opening walks. Devin Burkes, who is coming off of a three-RBI game, delivered a single up the middle to drive in Kentucky’s 10th run of the game.
Burkes’ single started a string of big hits, as Ryan Nicholson was up to pinch-hit yet. Nicholson, the Cincinnati transfer, came through with his biggest hit of the season. Nicholson ripped a line drive up the middle, driving in two more runs.
The Cats scored five more runs thanks to a Griffin Cameron RBI-groundout, a Ryan Waldschmidt RBI-double, and an Emilien Pitre RBI-single up the middle. Finally, the onslaught was over for the Bisons.
RHP Robert Hogan took over for Niman in the seventh, sitting the Bisons down in order to end the game in seven innings.
The third and final game of Kentucky’s first home series of the season is scheduled for Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
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