Kentucky Baseball Walks Off to Sweep Indiana State
After taking both games of the Saturday doubleheader, the Bat Cats needed a walk-off on Sunday afternoon to finish the sweep. Jase Felker ripped a single to right center to score Ryan Waldschmidt in the bottom of the ninth to give Kentucky the 7-6 victory over the Sycamores.
This weekend’s sweep of Indiana State was the first of the season for the Wildcats in three tries. Wright State and Elon both stole a game in Kentucky’s previous two three-game series.
Sophomore LF Ryan Waldschmidt was the story of this weekend’s affairs. Entering this weekend with just five hits on the season, Waldy recorded seven in three games. Waldschmidt was 4-4 with two doubles and two RBI in Sunday’s contest, including a single to start the bottom of the ninth. The Charleston Southern transfer has made his name known in Lexington.
Sycamores Start Fast
Senior RHP Zack Lee got the start for the Wildcats and started off shaky. Lee allowed four hits and three runs in the first inning, putting the Cats in an early 3-0 hole. After that first inning however, the senior righty allowed just two hits and no runs over the next five innings. Lee set a career-high with nine strikeouts, pushing his season total to a team-leading 22. Lee has struck out six-plus batters in all three of his starts this season.
After falling behind by three early, Kentucky responded in the bottom of the second (notoriously, their favorite inning to score runs this season). Emilien Pitre led off the inning with a single, eventually advancing to third on a Kendal Ewell fielder’s choice. With runners on first and third, Ryan Waldschmidt started his day off hot. Waldy ripped a double over the head of Indiana State CF Seth Gergely for a two-RBI single. With Waldschmidt on third following a Grant Smith single, Jackson Gray hit the second Wildcat double of the inning to score Waldy and Smith, giving Kentucky a 4-3 lead through two.
Indiana State Re-takes Lead in Seventh
After four scoreless innings for both teams, the Indiana State offense re-emerged in the seventh when Zack Lee was replaced by Magdiel Cotto. Kentucky was forced to use three different pitchers in this inning due to the struggles of Cotto and Frieda. After allowing three runs, Ryder Giles took over for Frieda. Giles struck out Diaz to end the inning and was replaced in the top of the eighth.
Behind 6-4, the Cats slowly crawled their way back. Ryan Waldschmidt led the inning off with his second double of the game, setting things up nicely for Jase Felker. Felker knocked a single through the right side, scoring Waldy from second and making it a one-run game.
Junior RHP Ryan Hagenow took over in the eighth for the Cats and shut down the Sycamore offense. In his two innings of work, Hage faced seven batters and allowed no hits. Hagenow cleaned up a pitching dilemma nicely, just what UK needed.
All Rise for Captain Gilliam
Down one in the bottom of the eighth, Hunter Gilliam stepped up to the plate with one out. Gilliam roped a 340-foot home run just over the right-field wall to tie the game. Gilly knocked his second home run of the season when the Wildcats needed it the most.
After Gilliam’s game-tying homer, James McCoy and Kendal Ewell struck out to end the inning.
Jase Felker Walks it Off
Hagenow kept dealing, shutting the Sycamores down in order in the top of the ninth, giving Wildcats a chance to walk it off for the first time this season. Waldschmidt opened the ninth with a single to left field, the third time Waldy opened an inning with a hit. Coach Nick Mingione’s love for the bunt paid off, as Grant Smith laid down a perfect one to advance Waldschmidt to second.
Jackson Gray flew out to left field for two outs in the inning, putting all the pressure on senior Jase Felker. For the second time, the Felker-Waldschmidt connection worked to perfection. Felker singled to right field, scoring Waldy and walking it off for Kentucky. It is the Wildcats’ first walk-off win of the season.
With the sweep, Kentucky improves to 9-2 on the season, good for the third best record in the SEC East. The Bat Cats will be back in action on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. EST when they welcome 3-8 Murray State to Kentucky Proud Park.
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