Bat 'Cats Collapse Late to Vandy, Swept for First Time this Season

Everything was going great… until the end.

After holding a lead throughout the entire game, Ryan Hagenow gave up three consecutive hits, leading to two runs in the ninth for a 3-2 walk-off victory. An absolute disaster for a program that desperately needed a win on Sunday. With the loss, the ‘Cats were swept for the first time this season and dropped their fourth consecutive game. UK has lost six of their last seven and 10 of their last 13.

Zack Lee’s stellar start will be lost in the shuffle due to the brutal loss. Lee was phenomenal over his five innings pitched, allowing just four hits and one earned run. He also struck out three Commodores. Mason Moore was also great in relief, allowing just one hit over two innings pitched.

After being swept for the first time this season, the ‘Cats look forward to their final three SEC series of the season against No. 3 South Carolina, No. 24 Tennessee, and No. 4 Florida. If Nick Mingione’s program doesn’t win at least one of those series and is swept again, Kentucky’s NCAA Tournament chances may be in deep, deep trouble.

Promising Start for Kentucky Offense

After going down early in Saturday’s 9-3 loss, Kentucky got on the board first in this one.

Jackson Gray, who has quietly become Kentucky’s batting average leader, was plunked on the first pitch of the game. With the HBP, Gray had reached safely in 25 of his last 33 plate appearances. It has been a phenomenal second half of the season for the WKU transfer. Ryan Waldschmidt was walked on a full count and Émilien Pitre reached on a fielder’s choice, moving Gray to third.

“The Captain” Hunter Gilliam stepped up to bat and flew out to center field, but it was deep enough to score Gray from third. Gilly’s first-inning sac-fly was his team-leading 55th RBI of the season (T-17th in the country).

Just as they have all weekend long, the Commodores would respond to the Wildcat scoring output before they could begin to build onto a lead. After striking out RJ Austin to begin the inning, Zack Lee gave up a single to Chris Maldonado, who had been a thorn in the side of the UK pitching staff all weekend long.

Lee forced a fly out for out number two with Matthew Polk coming up to bat. Polk ripped a double down the third base line, scoring Maldonado from first. But Polk was thrown out by Ryan Waldschmidt trying to swipe third. This game was tied 1-1 through four.

Jase Felker Gives ‘Cats Lead in Sixth

The ‘Cats notched three of their seven hits on the day in the sixth inning.

Émilien Pitre and Hunter Gilliam kicked things off with back-to-back singles, putting runners on second and third for Jase Felker. Felker ripped a single through the left side, advancing Gilliam to second and scoring Pitre. Reuben Church and Nolan McCarthy flew out and grounded out respectively to end the inning, leaving two runners stranded. Kentucky left 10 runners in total left on base in this one. Missed opportunity after missed opportunity.

Speaking of missed opportunities, the ‘Cats left two more runners on base in the top of the ninth with the chance to score some insurance runs. Grant Smith was walked and Nolan McCarthy was plunked, putting runners on first and second with just one out. Ryan Waldschmidt flew out, allowing Smith to tag and take third.

Émilien Pitre stepped up to bat looking to pad the Wildcat lead. Pitre flied a ball to left field that looked like it may get down. But Vandy’s Matthew Polk had different plans. Polk made a diving catch, preventing the Wildcat from scoring.

Vandy Bats Come to Life in Ninth for Walk-Off Win

After striking out two of the three batters he faced in the eighth, Ryan Hagenow trotted back out to the mound in the bottom of the ninth for a potential six-out save.

Hagenow, however, failed to record any outs. Vandy’s Parker Noland kicked off the inning with a single through the left side, followed up by a Polk double to left field, putting runners on first and third with no outs. Mingione kept Hagenow in the game, but it wouldn’t last for much longer.

Jonathan Vastine hit a liner right back at Hagenow, allowing Noland to dash home for the tie. Hagenow was pulled after being struck with the liner and was replaced by Ryder Giles. Giles worked Alan Espinal to a full count before allowing a deep fly ball to center field which dropped in, allowing Polk to score for the win.

Ryan Hagenow and Ryder Giles give up four consecutive hits accruing to two game winning runs in the bottom of the ninth. With the loss, Kentucky Baseball is swept for the first time this season. An absolutely brutal loss.

Final: #15 Kentucky 2 / #5 Vanderbilt 3 ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/RAEbaHhhzO

— Daniel Hager (@DanielHagerKSR) April 30, 2023

Just a brutal loss for a team that desperately needs wins right now. Ryan Hagenow’s worst inning of the season couldn’t have come at a worse time.

With the loss, Kentucky falls to 30-13 on the season and will be back in action on May 5th when they host No. 3 South Carolina at Kentucky Proud Park. The ‘Cats will most likely be unranked for the first time since mid-March come Monday.