Kentucky Baseball Ends Morehead State's Undefeated Season with 15-1 Victory
All good things must come to an end.
After an 8-0 start to their season, the Morehead State Eagles came just one win shy of a school record 9-0 start. Thanks to an eight-run fourth inning and a six-run seventh inning, Kentucky baseball took down MSU 15-1 for their fifth consecutive victory over the Eagles and second consecutive 15-run outing. Kentucky has scored 30 runs over its past 18 innings.
“That’s a good team, they were undefeated,” Head coach Nick Mingione said following the Wildcats’ victory.
Morehead State employed the Tampa Bay Ray strategy of starting a relief pitcher on the mound and rotating pitchers every inning. LHP Riley Bradshaw started for the Eagles, pitching just the first inning and allowing no hits. Bradshaw was preceded by RHP Alex Kafka to start the second inning, the first of nine Morehead pitching changes on the afternoon. By the end of this one, it seemed as if the Eagles had to start pulling fans out of the crowd to finish this one off.
Travis Smith Enjoys Another Solid Outing
Redshirt freshman Travis Smith got the start on the mound for the ‘Cats, his second of the season. After a shaky start in which he walked Morehead’s first two batters of the game, he settled in and took over. Smith lasted four innings before being replaced by Mason Moore in the top of the fifth. Smith allowed just one hit and one earned run over the span of those four innings, continuing his progress back from Tommy John Surgery.
“He’s been able to get the ground ball and some strikeouts,” Coach Mingione said after the game. “We haven’t seen the best version of him yet and he’s still doing really good. The sky is the limit for Travis and that’s why we have him in this spot.”
‘Cats Strike First
With runners on first and second in the top of the first for Morehead State, LF Ryan Waldschmidt made a nice sliding catch to prevent the Eagles from opening the game with a run. Kentucky looked to respond in the bottom of the second, but 2B Emilien Pitre was thrown out at home tagging up from third on a Chase Stanke fly ball to right field. Pitre cut his arm sliding into home and exited the game. Great defense early prevented scoring from both teams.
After three and a half innings of scoreless baseball, Kentucky scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the third. With the bases loaded, Devin Burkes flew a sac-fly to left field that scored Reuben Church from third. Burkes’ third-inning sac-fly was his 16th RBI of the season, which leads the team by a large margin.
Following Kentucky’s first score of the game, the Eagles immediately responded. With DH Roman Kuntz on third following a walk, a steal, and a fielder’s choice, RF Chase Vinson hit a very high pop-up to shallow left field. Kuntz darted for home as soon as Felker made the catch, forcing Felker to throw a dart to home. Catcher Chase Stanke bobbled the throw, allowing Kuntz to slide under the tag for the score. Morehead State knotted this one up at one apiece through four innings.
Kentucky Breaks Through with Eight-Run Fourth Inning
Morehead State knotted the game up in the top of the fourth, but that didn’t last for long. The ‘Cats rattled off eight unanswered in the bottom of the fourth to blow this one open. Nolan McCarthy got the inning started with a leadoff single, eventually scoring thanks to a Reuben Church single through the left side of the infield. Grant Smith beat out a bunt to load the bases with no outs and Jackson Gray up to bat. Gray ripped a single to right field, scoring Church and Stanke, and pushing the lead to three.
After back-to-back strikeouts, the ‘Cats were down to two outs in the inning. Upon the introduction of freshman RHP Luke Lyman, four consecutive Wildcats drew walks. Grant Smith and Jackson Gray trotted home from third and Felker stole home following a pitch in the dirt. With the bases still loaded, Reuben Church knocked a single to left field for his second hit of the inning. McCarthy and Gilliam scored, giving Church his second and third RBI of the afternoon.
Kentucky scored eight unanswered in the eighth thanks to five hits and five walks. The Morehead State bullpen strategy wasn’t going according to plan.
Wildcats Continue to Pile on in Seventh Inning
Kentucky added some more insurance in the bottom of the seventh, as a Hunter Gilliam deep sacrifice fly scored pinch-runner Patrick Herrera from third base to make it 10-1. Reuben Church was hit by an inside pitch, which scored Jase Felker from third thanks to loaded bases. Isaiah Byars then stepped up to pinch-hit for Grant Smith and scored Nolan McCarthy from third thanks to a sacrifice fly to right field. An 11-run lead wasn’t enough for pinch-hitter Ryan Waldschmidt, as he ripped a single into left field to score Stanke. Following a James McCoy two-RBI double to left field, Kentucky led 15-1 after seven.
Every Kentucky starter notched at least one hit, an impressive feat for this offense. 3B Reuben Church in particular had a big night, enjoying a career-high four hits in Tuesday’s contest.
“He’s waited his turn,” Mingione said of Church after the game. “He’s just patiently waited his turn and I’m really happy for him now that he’s gotten his chance.”
Wildcat Pitching Sinks Eagles
An early season highlight for the Wildcats has been their pitching. Other than their 12 allowed runs to Wright State last Saturday, the ‘Cats have allowed just nine runs in their other seven games. Pitching dominance was no different Tuesday afternoon, as the Eagles notched just five hits and one earned run against starter Travis Smith and relievers Mason Moore, Jackson Nove, Seth Logue, Seth Chaves, Evan Byers, and Christian Howe. Howe gave up two of the five total hits after entering in the top of the ninth with two outs. Kentucky’s pitchers combined for 10 strikeouts as well.
Kentucky Baseball will be back in action on Friday when they welcome Indiana State to town for a three-game weekend series. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. EST at Kentucky Proud Park.
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