Kentucky falls to LSU 11-0 in Second Round of SEC Tournament
No. 3 seed Kentucky was shutout by No. 11 seed LSU 11-0 in their Second Round matchup of the SEC Tournament on Wednesday.
Kentucky has now been shut out just twice this season.
In a total role reversal, Kentucky’s pitching effort was stellar early on Wednesday while its offense was obsolete. After starter Travis Smith gave up two runs in an inning of work, right-handed relievers Robert Hogan and Johnny Hummel completely shut down the LSU offense in their combined five innings of relief.
The Tigers totaled just one hit and no earned runs off the Kentucky bullpen until a Jared Jones seventh inning grand slam put LSU comfortably ahead.
LSU starting right-handed pitcher Luke Holman dominated the Wildcat offense, as he didn’t allow a single hit while striking out seven in six innings of work. Kentucky didn’t notch its first hit until Mitch Daly led off the seventh inning with a single.
With the loss, No. 3 seed Kentucky will face the loser of No. 2 Arkansas/No. 10 South Carolina on Thursday at 9:30 a.m. CT/10:30 a.m. EST. The loser of Thursday’s game will be eliminated from the SEC Tournament.
Players of the Game:
- RHP Robert Hogan: Hogan turned in three innings of great relief pitching, allowing just one hit while striking out a season-high five batters.
- RHP Johnny Hummel: Hummel was great in relief as well, striking out two batters while not allowing a hit in two innings of relief.
Braswell gives LSU immediate lead
Right-handed pitcher Travis Smith made the Wednesday start for Kentucky, his first since March 15.
LSU got after him immediately, as shortstop Michael Braswell III opened the game with a solo home run over the left field fence. It was just Braswell’s second home run of the season, but it was tattooed. Home runs are much harder to come by at the Hoover Met than at Kentucky Proud Park.
Smith continued to struggle, as he walked two batters and plunked one to load the bases with two outs. He however struck out outfielder Mac Bingham to get out of the jam, having surrendered just one run in the first.
After giving up a leadoff double to LSU’s Ashton Larson to open the second however, he was replaced by right-hander Robert Hogan. Wednesday marked Smith’s shortest start in 18 career starts (1.0 IP).
Hogan forced back-to-back groundouts, but Larson was able to score on the second one. LSU took a 2-0 lead midway through two.
Hogan and Hummel big in relief
Hogan turned in what was possibly his best performance of the season on Wednesday, holding LSU to just one hit with five strikeouts in three innings pitched.
The right-hander’s five strikeouts set a new season high, and he was just 2/3 inning short of matching his longest outing of the season (Tennessee).
While Hogan held the Tigers at bay, Kentucky’s offense failed to convert. The first spark of light in the Wildcat offense came in the bottom of the fourth, when they put runners on the corners with two outs following an error by LSU’s Michael Braswell at shortstop.
Up came power-threat Ryan Nicholson, but Nicholson struck out to strand two more runners.
Hogan was followed by right-hander Johnny Hummel, who was excellent in relief as well. Hummel pitched two innings, striking out two batters while not allowing a hit.
Cats fall apart in seventh inning
Still behind just 2-0 in the seventh inning, coach Nick Mingione trotted out left-hander Dominic Niman and right-hander Cam O’Brien to try and keep it that way.
Niman and O’Brien however ended the run of stellar relief pitching in the seventh, as Niman walked two runners before he was replaced by O’Brien. O’Brien entered and intentionally walked Tommy White before giving up a grand slam to Jared Jones, LSU’s first in the SEC Tournament since 2008.
The Tigers weren’t finished in the inning either, as catcher Hayden Travinski blasted a solo home run to extend the lead out to seven.
Just a no good, horrible, bad opening day of the SEC Tournament for Kentucky.
Kentucky falls in SEC Tournament opener
Freshman right-hander Jake Titus entered in the eighth for mop up duty and gave up a grand slam to LSU’s Tommy White, which extended the Tiger lead to 11.
Kentucky was unable to put a single run on the board, so the game was called after eight innings. The Cats notched just one hit, which is their least amount of hits in a game this season.
Onto the loser’s bracket for Nick Mingione’s club.
What’s next for No. 2 Kentucky?
No. 3 seed Kentucky will face the loser of No. 2 Arkansas/No. 10 South Carolina on Thursday at 9:30 a.m. CT/10:30 a.m. EST.
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