Kentucky Baseball Extends Win Streak to 17 with 9-5 Win Over Alabama
After a gritty extra-innings victory for #23 ranked Kentucky baseball on Friday night, the Wildcats came right back on Saturday and took care of business once again. Led by Nolan McCarthy and his three RBI, the ‘Cats downed Alabama to secure its sixth series victory of the season and back-to-back SEC series victories to begin conference play.
With Saturday’s victory, Kentucky increases its winning streak to 17 games, the longest active streak in all of college baseball and the fourth longest in the history of the program. The ‘Cats are off to the school’s best SEC start to a season (5-0) since 1992, when UK started 7-0.
Kentucky pitching received some great run support in this one. After scoring just four runs in 12 innings on Friday night, the ‘Cats scratched across nine runs on Saturday as six Wildcats secured at least one hit, with Gray and McCarthy knocking two. Grad student Tyler Bosma made his sixth start of the season and pitched three innings before being pulled in the bottom of the fourth after allowing three earned runs to the Tide. He was replaced by Austin Strickland, who was solid in relief. Strickland pitched three innings as well, giving up just four hits and two earned runs.
Kentucky Offers Early Run Support
As Kentucky did in Friday’s affair, the ‘Cats took an early lead on Saturday as well. With one out in the top of the second, Ryan Waldschmidt reached first on a fielder’s choice to shortstop. Chase Stanke, who was batting just .217 entering the weekend, singled to right field, moving Waldy to third. As they’ve done many times lately, the ‘Cats scratched a run on a wild pitch. Waldschmidt darted home on a wild pitch from Bama’s Holman to get Kentucky on the board first. Slowly but surely, the ‘Cats began to build a lead.
In the top of the third, Nick Mingione’s squad added another run to the board. Jackson Gray, who had two hits in Friday’s game, kicked off the inning with a single through the right side. Jase Felker followed him with another single of his own, which moved Gray to third. Coach Minge continued his season-long love affair with small ball and called for a Devin Burkes bunt, which he put down perfectly. Burkes beat out the bunt which allowed Gray to score from third, giving the ‘Cats a 2-0 lead.
Alabama’s Holman continued to help Kentucky, setting them up nicely in the top of the fifth before being replaced. Hunter Gilliam reached on an error by Alabama 3B Colby Shelton, putting a runner on first with no outs. Holman then walked Waldschmidt and plunked Stanke before being replaced. With bases loaded and a new pitcher in, Nolan McCarthy ripped a single to left field, scoring both Waldschmidt and Gilliam to put the ‘Cats ahead by four.
Resilient Bama Makes Comeback… Again.
Just as they did on Friday, the Crimson Tide were down and out but used a big inning to crawl right back into the game.
Down four runs in the bottom of the fourth, Alabama scored three to make it just a one-run game. Dominic Tamez, Colby Shelton, and Andrew Pinckney all singled to chase Tyler Bosma out of the game. Tamez scored on Pinckney’s single to right center. Max Williams then reached on a fielder’s choice to short, allowing Shelton to score the second run of the inning. Strickland once again loaded the bases for the Tide and paid for it. He plunked Ed Johnson, allowing Williams to trot home from third.
Instead of a four-run game, it was cut down to just one after the fourth.
Bat ‘Cats Score Five Unanswered
With the lead cut to just one after the fourth inning, the Bat ‘Cats responded nicely in the fifth. Alabama’s Furtado gifted the Wildcats with two bases thanks to back-to-back HBP of Burkes and Pitre to begin the inning.
“The Captain” Hunter Gilliam made Furtado pay. Gilly ripped a single through the left side of the infield, scoring Burkes from second. Mingione made the call for Pitre to steal third, and he did successfully. This set Ryan Waldschmidt up nicely to lay down a sac-bunt, scoring Petey from third. Gilliam advanced to second on the bunt. Nolan McCarthy then secured this third RBI of the afternoon after singling through the left side, scoring Gilly from second. Mingione’s small ball philosophy was torching the Tide.
Kentucky continued to add to its lead in the sixth. Émilien Pitre got the inning started with a walk. With Petey on first, Ryan Waldschmidt continued his nice afternoon by doubling down the right field line, moving Pitre all the way to third.
Chase Stanke, who had one of the best games of his season on Saturday, chopped an infield single to the pitcher, allowing Petey to score from third for his fourth RBI of the year. With Waldy on third following the Stanke chopper, Alabama’s Blatter balked, allowing Waldy to walk on home and make this a 9-3 game.
Long Live the Streak
The Tide scratched across two runs in the bottom of the seventh but that wasn’t nearly enough. Jackson Nove and Ryan Hagenow finished this one out on the mound for the ‘Cats, allowing just a combined two hits over the final three innings. Don’t look now, but this team may just be the hottest in all of college baseball.
Kentucky and Alabama will clash in game three of the series on Sunday at 12:00 p.m. EST. The ‘Cats will be looking for its 18th win in a row and fourth straight series sweep.
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