Kentucky downs Arkansas 7-4 on Sunday to take pivotal series
With just two weeks remaining in the regular season, Kentucky sits alone atop the Southeastern Conference.
No. 8 Kentucky held off No. 2 Arkansas 7-4 on Sunday to preserve its spot atop the nation’s premier baseball conference. Dreams of a potential Super Regional in Lexington are getting more and more realistic.
After dropping the opening game of the series 10-3, the Cats outscored the Hogs 18-7 over the final two games to hand them just their second conference series loss of the season. The series victory marked Kentucky’s first over Arkansas since 2012.
Émilien Pitre capped off his stellar weekend of play with a 2-4 performance at the plate on Sunday. Pitre roped a solo home run and an RBI-double. Over the span of Kentucky’s final two games of the weekend, the Quebec native went 4-7 with three doubles, a home run, six RBI, and four runs scored.
“That’s what they do,” head coach Nick Mingione said postgame. “They compete at the highest level. They have an edge about them, and they have a real belief.”
The Cats improve to 35-10 (18-6) and remain a game ahead of Tennessee in the SEC East and a game ahead of Arkansas and Tennessee (17-7) in the SEC.
Players of the Game:
- RHP Mason Moore: Moore pitched five innings on Sunday, giving up just three hits and two earned runs. He struck out six batters, cementing his best start in a month.
- 2B Émilien Pitre: Pitre’s big weekend was capped off with a double, a solo home run, and two RBI.
- DH Nick Lopez: Lopez went 2-4 at the plate with a solo home run and two RBI. He also scored Kentucky’s seventh insurance run in the seventh after scoring from first on a single.
Pitre homer gives Cats early lead
Right-hander Mason Moore made his 12th start of the season for the Cats Sunday afternoon. Moore, who had allowed 16 hits and 14 earned runs over his last two starts, desperately needed a bounce back performance against the Hogs.
His day got off to a great start, as he struck out the side to bring the Cats to bat in the bottom of the first.
Émilien Pitre gave Moore some immediate help, as his big weekend continued with a solo home run to put Kentucky ahead 1-0. Pitre went 2-3 at the plate with four RBI in Kentucky’s 11-3 win on Saturday.
Pitre has now more than tripled his home run total from 2023 with his sixth of the season. He hit just one last season.
Lopez adds to lead with another Big Blue Bomb
After failing to hit a single home run in Saturday’s game, Kentucky’s lineup hit two in the first three innings of play on Sunday.
Moore continued to control the Razorback lineup, bringing the Cats back up to the plate for some additional help.
Devin Burkes, who has returned to the three hole, drew a walk to put a runner on with one out. Burkes and his hamstring look to be near or at 100% for the first time in a month, which prompted his move back into the spot.
With Burkes on first, Kentucky’s batting average leader Nick Lopez stepped up to bat. Lopez, who had been hitting just .174 in his last seven games prior to hit three-hit performance on Saturday, continued to heat back up. Lopez lifted a two-run home run over the left field fence, just right of the foul pole.
The switch hitter’s fifth Big Blue Bomb of the season propelled the Cats to a 3-0 lead in the third.
Kentucky tacks on three more in the fourth
Not satisfied with a three-run lead, the Cats scored three more runs in the fourth to extend their lead to six.
Nolan McCarthy opened the inning with a leadoff double to left center field, his eighth of the season. He took third on a James McCoy groundout, putting a runner 90 feet away from home with Grant Smith up to bat.
To the surprise of nobody, Smith layed a bunt down the third base line. McCarthy darted for home and slid in under the tag, but he was ruled out. Upon further review however, McCarthy was ruled safe for Kentucky’s fourth run of the game.
The lineup rolled back around to the top, where Ryan Waldschmidt and Émilien Pitre hit back-to-back doubles to bring in Grant Smith. Pitre has now hit 15 doubles in SEC play, which is tied for fourth most in the entire conference.
The Cats tacked on one more run, thanks to a Devin Burkes RBI sac-fly to center field. Arkansas’ Peyton Holt made a nice diving grab to rob Burkes of potentially Kentucky’s fourth double of the inning.
The Hogs responded with two runs in the top of the fifth, but the Cats still held on to a four run lead.
Mason Moore bounces back
After a rough two weeks, Mason Moore experienced a nice bounce back performance against the Hogs.
Moore lasted five innings, allowing just three hits and two earned runs. He also struck out six batters, including Arkansas’ Kendall Diggs to get out of a bases loaded jam in the fifth.
“We all know I’ve struggled the last two weekends,” Moore said postgame. “Coach and I made some adjustments and it translated over. We put up seven runs against a team like that, it makes it a little easier out there.”
Sunday’s start marked Moore’s first start since April 7 (Alabama) where he’s allowed two or less earned runs.
Bat Cats take big time series
Arkansas put on some pressure in the seventh, scoring one more run to pull within three. The Cats however responded in the latter half inning thanks to a little luck.
Nick Lopez singled with one out, bringing up Ryan Nicholson. Nicholson, who was 0-3 on the day, hit a less than remarkable ball up the middle for a single. Arkansas center fielder Peyton Holt however bobbled the ball, allowing Lopez to score all the way from first. Kentucky’s lead was pushed back out to four.
“Coach was talking to us about going first and third,” Lopez said postgame. “I was already thinking three on a base hit but then I saw coach point and I just automatically went when I saw it.”
Right-hander Cam O’Brien entered with two outs in the seventh, facing the game-tying Arkansas run. He forced a pop-out on the first pitch to get out of the jam, then sat the Razorbacks down in order in the eighth. He returned to the mound in the ninth, but gave up a solo home run to his last batter faced.
Righty Johnny Hummel entered to shut down all hopes of an Arkansas comeback, forcing a flyout from the game-tying run. He earned his sixth save of the season.
Series victory, Cayts.
What’s next for No. 8 Kentucky?
Kentucky will travel to Cincinnati for its first midweek game in two weeks on Tuesday for a non-conference matchup with Xavier. First pitch is at 3:00 p.m. EST and the game will be streaming on Flo Sports.
Discuss This Article
Comments have moved.
Join the conversation and talk about this article and all things Kentucky Sports in the new KSR Message Board.
KSBoard