Kentucky Baseball splits final two at Florida; drops another SEC series
Following an embarrassing defeat to the Florida Gators on Friday night, Kentucky Baseball was able to split the final two games, salvaging the final game of the weekend on Sunday. Here’s how the last two contests went down.
Pitching debacle on Saturday
The Wildcat pitching staff gave the offense little chance to make anything happen in game two. Seven runs through the first two innings and this contest was anything but competitive.
Zack Lee got the nod to start on Saturday against the Gators. The junior had been one of the lone bright spots for this season, heading into the game with a 3.72 ERA, including a five-inning performance in a recent win against Vanderbilt. Nothing was working for Lee though, laboring through 1.2 innings of ugly ball.
The righty allowed five hits for seven runs on the night, six of them being earned. He was out of sorts all night, forcing head coach Nick Mingione to go to the bullpen early.
Kentucky’s offensive woes continued on Saturday as well — Ryan Ritter’s RBI double in the sixth was the only real sign of life in the 9-1 loss.
Bats bounce back on Sunday
Led by the long ball, Kentucky was able to salvage one game on the weekend with an 8-1 win over the Gators to close out the series.
Tied at one apiece in the third, Jake Plastiak launched the eventual game-winner, smashing a solo shot to center field. It was his 12th home run of the season and second of the weekend.
In the following frame, John Thrasher ripped his first home run in a Kentucky uniform, a two-run shot to extend the lead.
To cap it all off, Adam Fogel launched a two-run shot of his own in the top of the ninth to seal this one.
Depleted of available starting arms, Mingione called on Sean Harney to start the Sunday matinee.
Harney threw an absolute gem, going a career-long seven innings while fanning seven and only walking one. The lone run he allowed came in the second inning, but he went on to shut down the Florida offense after that. His ERA sits at a fantastic 2.82 after the win.
Tyler Guilfoil finished up the last two innings, picking up his fifth save of the year.
Though winning the getaway game on Sunday was vital, it doesn’t erase the fact that the ‘Cats lost another series, digging themselves into an even deeper hole in conference play.
The No. 1 team in the nation, Tennessee, comes to Lexington next weekend for a series at Kentucky Proud Park.
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