Cats Down Jayhawks 8-6, Earn Match-up With Cards

The UK Baseball team exacted revenge against Kansas for the opening round loss on Friday, eliminating the Jayhawks, 8-6, and earning match-up against the Cardinals later today.  The Cats jumped out to an early lead, scoring three in the first two innings and blew it open on a Max Kuhn triple with the bases loaded in the fourth.  SEC and National Player of the Year A.J. Reed added two RBI sacrifice flies.  The Cats tacked on a run in the sixth before the Jayhawks vaulted back into the game with a five runs on the bottom half the inning and a solo homer in the eighth. Freshman Zack Brown worked a badly needed gem for UK,  throwing a career high five innings and 84 pitches.  Brown issued four runs, all earned, on four hits and struck out three to just one walk.  He left with no outs and the bases loaded after allowing four straight hits to leadoff the sixth and put Kansas on the board.  His replacement, Taylor Martin, allowed all three of Brown's runners to score plus one of his own to cut the lead to 8-5 after six.  Martin worked three innings, allowing two runs (one in the sixth and one in the eighth), on two hits.  Spencer Jack closed the door in the ninth. Kentucky and Louisville will face off in the Regional Final this afternoon in 55 minutes.  Louisville is 2-0 in the Regional so if the Cats win, they will have to play the Cards again tomorrow night at 6 in a "winner take all" game.  If the Cats lose, they are eliminated.  Louisville will start freshman Josh Rodgers (2-3, 3.91 ERA in eight starts and 13 appearances).  He took the loss in both games against UK in regular season. Stay tuned, game two coming right at you. Update: Game will be on ESPNU with first pitch at 4:15. Cats will start Ryne Combs (1-2 in 4 starts and 16 appearances and a 6.55 ERA   Go Cats @DMulloyKSR