It is win or go home for UK and South Carolina. Both teams need a win to continue into the semifinals on Saturday against LSU. For South Carolina, they are playing for their tournament lives. For UK, they need a win to keep their hopes at a national seed alive. The game is live on SEC Network right now and you can follow here or on @TreyHuntsmanKSR.
6:45 Cats drop this one to the Gamecocks. Recap coming later tonight from the 3-1 loss.
6:35 Hope for the Cats in the ninth. Carson reaches on a fielding error. Heady up representing the tying run.
6:30 Thompson works around a two out walk to get the game to the ninth. UK has Squires, Carson, and Heady due up in the ninth trailing 3-1.
6:16 Cats gets two singles from Reks and Becker but they are stranded at second and third. Zack Thompson in for UK on the mound.
5:57 There it is. TJ Hopkins hits a three-run bomb to left to give USC a 3-1 lead. Lack of offense catches up to UK in the 7th.
5:42 Kole Cottam leads off with a single and is lifted for a pinch runner. After South Carolina went to their bullpen as Josh Reagan entered. Reagan picked off the runner at first before allowing a walk to Troy Squires and a single by Marcus Carson. Heady and Pompey could not drive in the run as UK leads 1-0 in the bottom of the 7th.
5:28 Lewis exited with one out in the middle of an at-bat. No signs of injury at this point, just time for a change. Logan Salow entered and got the final two outs to preserve a 1-0 lead in the sixth.
5:18 Lewis surrenders a base hit to end the no-hitter. USC with runners on the corners and one out.
5:11 Outside of a couple moments, UK's offense has not looked good the last two days. Hill works a 1-2-3 sixth inning with two strikeouts. Lewis back out for the bottom of the sixth with 80 pitches.
5:04 Lewis is dominating USC thru five innings. That first inning appeared to be a fluke as his changeup has been excellent in the last four frames. He is sitting mid-90s and is working the slider as well. His performance on the mound is carrying UK right now. The 1-0 lead for the Cats stands headed into the sixth.
4:58 Another frustrating inning at the plate for UK. Heady and Pompey walk but White strikes out to end the top of the fifth. On the bright side, Adam Hill is close to done on the mound. USC's bullpen has been used a lot this week, so they may go to arms that are tired or untested soon
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4:45 A dropped third strike puts runners on the corners for USC. Lewis gets Alex Destino to roll into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning. Lewis is competing like his life depends on it today.
4:40 A throwing error puts South Carolina in business in the bottom of the fourth. Runner at third, one out for the Cocks.
4:20 Lewis has retired eight straight after working another 1-2-3 inning in the third. He has four strikeouts on 53 pitches.
4:10 Heady works a nine-pitch AB and walked before stealing second. The free pass was all that UK could manage in the third.
4:03 Lewis goes 1-2-3 in the bottom of the second as well. He had much better command in his second time out. His breaking ball was swing and miss like it has been all season.
3:55 Hill settles in and works a 1-2-3 second inning. I'd say that UK outnumbers USC fans by a slight number.
3:45 Lewis labors in the first but strands a runner at third. He couldn't find the zone a good portion of the inning, but he got outs when it mattered most.
3:31 Justin Lewis on the mound for UK today. He is 6-3 with a 3.39 ERA as a junior.
3:30 Night and day difference here in the first. Becker drives in Pompey to give UK a 1-0 lead in the first. UK is getting the breaks they didn't get last night early in this one.
3:25 Cats have a solid start in the first inning. Pompey singles to right but the right fielder makes a terrific stop to keep him at first. White then flies to right and the fielder drops it. Two on with no out.
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