Kentucky Baseball holds off Auburn 6-5 to open series with victory
Kentucky Baseball held off a frisky Auburn team 6-5 Thursday night to open the weekend series with a victory.
The Tigers put runners on first and second with no outs in the bottom of the ninth, but Mitch Daly turned a game-ending double play to preserve the Wildcat victory.
The Cats are now 12-1 in SEC play and are 6-1 in road conference games. Kentucky improves to 28-5 overall with the win.
Players of the Game:
- 1B Ryan Nicholson: Nicholson’s seventh-inning two-run home run propelled the Cats to a two-run lead. Went 3-3 at the plate with three RBI.
- C Devin Burkes: Burkes continues to surge, as he went 2-5 at the plate on Thursday with a double.
- RHP Johnny Hummel: Hummel entered in the eighth, holding off the Tigers in the ninth to secure his third save of the season.
Two-out rally propels Cats to early lead
Ryan Waldschmidt and Emilien Pitre opened the game with two quick outs, but a unique two-out rally for the Cats brought in the first two runs of the game.
The foursome of Devin Burkes, Nick Lopez, Mitch Daly, and Ryan Nicholson knocked back-to-back-to-back-to-back two-out singles, driving in two runs courtesy of the Daly and Nicholson singles.
Just as Auburn starting pitcher Dylan Watts thought it would be an easy opening frame, Kentucky had suddenly tacked on two runs before the half inning could end. Watts’ day didn’t extend much longer, as he exited after just 2 1/3 innings on the bump.
Auburn error gifts Bat Cats two more runs
Devin Burkes, who is quietly heating up, led off the third inning with a double to put a runner in scoring position with no outs for the Cats.
Burkes went 2-3 at the plate Thursday night and homered in Kentucky’s loss to Samford on Tuesday.
Following a Mitch Daly hit by pitch and a Ryan Nicholson drawn walk, the bases were loaded for James McCoy.
With two outs, McCoy hit a hard-hit groundball to Auburn third baseman Gavin Miller. Miller was unable to field the ball cleanly however, as it dribbled into left field for a single. Burkes and Daly were able to score, bringing in two more Wildcat runs. Kentucky led 4-0 midway through four.
Tigers chase Pooser, knot game up in fourth
Kentucky starter Trey Pooser ran into some trouble in the bottom of the fourth inning, walking three consecutive batters to open the frame.
Auburn’s Deric Fabian took advantage of the free bases, ripping a two-run double to right field to bring in their first two runs of the game.
The Auburn momentum continued to flow in the inning, as a Cale Stricklin single up the middle drove in two more runs, knotting the game up at two.
Trey Pooser’s day came to an end after just three innings pitched. He allowed four earned runs, his second-most allowed in a game this season.
Ryan Nicholson to the rescue
It seemed as if momentum had fully swung in the direction of the home team until Ryan Nicholson quieted the Plainsman Park crowd in the seventh inning.
After two quick outs in the inning, Mitch Daly doubled to left field wall to prolong the inning.
Prolong the inning he did, as Ryan Nicholson came up to bat. On the second pitch of the at-bat, Nicholson belted a no-doubt 444 foot home run to deep right field, putting Kentucky back in front.
Nicholson has been experiencing a power surge, as he’s knocked three home runs in the last three games. The grad transfer is up to seven long balls on the season, which leads the team.
Hummel holds for the save
Right-hander Johnny Hummel entered in the eighth inning, taking over for Travis Smith, who had put runners on first and second.
The Tigers scored a run on an RBI-single from Christian Hall, but no more.
With runners on first and second with no outs in the ninth, Hummel struck out Auburn’s Cooper McMurray and forced a game-ending double play to secure the Kentucky win and his third save of the season.
What’s next for No. 8 Kentucky?
Game two of the weekend series between No. 8 Kentucky and Auburn is scheduled for Friday night at 7:00 p.m. EST on SEC Network+.
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