UK Baseball drops first game of series against LSU, falling 15-2
[caption id="attachment_347072" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] (UK Athletics)[/caption]
The hangover from an impressive win over in-state rival Louisville hit Kentucky hard in its return to SEC play.
After an 11-7 single-game series win against the Cardinals earlier this week, the Baseball 'Cats (19-8, 5-5 in SEC) were bested in a game that wasn't close against the LSU Tigers (18-12), falling by a score of 15-2 at Kentucky Proud Park on Friday night.
https://twitter.com/UKBaseball/status/1380693680697208834
Despite Kentucky's best pitcher Cole Stupp on the mound, LSU struck first with a one-shot homer in the first inning. He was able to escape the inning without giving up another hit, but the 'Cats were in an early hole. Coming into the game, Stupp had pitched at least six innings over his previous five starts without allowing more than three runs in any of them.
Kentucky's offense was struggling to find its footing, earning a single hit through the first three innings while the Tigers continued to swing at Stupp, later posting two more runs in the fourth inning to go up 3-0.
The game would blow up in the top of the fifth. LSU's Tre' Morgan was hit by a Stupp pitch as Gavin Dugas quickly knocked out a two-run homer to add to the Tiger advantage. Four consecutive LSU hits would follow as the Tigers tacked on three more runs before the inning could finally come to an end with Kentucky down 8-0. During the bottom of the stretch, UK recorded two hits but failed to bring anyone in.
Morgan would swing for the fences, adding a solo score to start the sixth session for LSU, making it 9-0. Wyatt Hudepoh started the inning for the Bat 'Cats on the mound in place of Stupp, who finished with 12 hits on eight earned runs along with four strikeouts on 77 pitches in five innings of action. Hudepoh would get UK out of the rest of the inning without another score following the Morgan bomb.
Kentucky would finally get on board in the bottom half of the sixth thanks to a John Rhodes single that knocked in Reuben Church, making it 9-1 in favor of the Tigers. However, that was all the damage the 'Cats could muster up before LSU plucked two easy outs to end the inning.
Hudepoh was dealing to begin the seventh, going three up, three down, and when they switched sides, Ryan Ritter slammed a shot to right field that brought the UK deficit down to 9-2. Things would only get worse for the 'Cats in the final inning though, as LSU scored six more runs to put this game into the grave with a final count of 15-2.
Kentucky will get another shot at LSU on Saturday when they face the Tigers in game two of the three-game series at 6:30 p.m. on the SEC Network.
(UK Athletics)[/caption]
The hangover from an impressive win over in-state rival Louisville hit Kentucky hard in its return to SEC play.
After an 11-7 single-game series win against the Cardinals earlier this week, the Baseball 'Cats (19-8, 5-5 in SEC) were bested in a game that wasn't close against the LSU Tigers (18-12), falling by a score of 15-2 at Kentucky Proud Park on Friday night.
https://twitter.com/UKBaseball/status/1380693680697208834
Despite Kentucky's best pitcher Cole Stupp on the mound, LSU struck first with a one-shot homer in the first inning. He was able to escape the inning without giving up another hit, but the 'Cats were in an early hole. Coming into the game, Stupp had pitched at least six innings over his previous five starts without allowing more than three runs in any of them.
Kentucky's offense was struggling to find its footing, earning a single hit through the first three innings while the Tigers continued to swing at Stupp, later posting two more runs in the fourth inning to go up 3-0.
The game would blow up in the top of the fifth. LSU's Tre' Morgan was hit by a Stupp pitch as Gavin Dugas quickly knocked out a two-run homer to add to the Tiger advantage. Four consecutive LSU hits would follow as the Tigers tacked on three more runs before the inning could finally come to an end with Kentucky down 8-0. During the bottom of the stretch, UK recorded two hits but failed to bring anyone in.
Morgan would swing for the fences, adding a solo score to start the sixth session for LSU, making it 9-0. Wyatt Hudepoh started the inning for the Bat 'Cats on the mound in place of Stupp, who finished with 12 hits on eight earned runs along with four strikeouts on 77 pitches in five innings of action. Hudepoh would get UK out of the rest of the inning without another score following the Morgan bomb.
Kentucky would finally get on board in the bottom half of the sixth thanks to a John Rhodes single that knocked in Reuben Church, making it 9-1 in favor of the Tigers. However, that was all the damage the 'Cats could muster up before LSU plucked two easy outs to end the inning.
Hudepoh was dealing to begin the seventh, going three up, three down, and when they switched sides, Ryan Ritter slammed a shot to right field that brought the UK deficit down to 9-2. Things would only get worse for the 'Cats in the final inning though, as LSU scored six more runs to put this game into the grave with a final count of 15-2.
Kentucky will get another shot at LSU on Saturday when they face the Tigers in game two of the three-game series at 6:30 p.m. on the SEC Network.
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