Kentucky advances to second-ever Super Regional with 4-2 win over Indiana
The #RoadToOmaha continues for the Bat ‘Cats.
In front of a record crowd of 6,796 fans at Kentucky Proud Park in the Lexington Regional, Kentucky baseball kept its season alive in a win-or-go-home scenario. Needing to win three straight games entering Sunday morning to make the program’s second-ever NCAA Tournament Super Regional, the Wildcats found a way to get the job done, polishing off the impressive three-game stretch with a 4-2 victory over the Indiana Hoosiers on Monday night.
The magic is still alive for Nick Mingione’s squad.
Kentucky will take on a familiar foe in the Super Regional with a matchup in Baton Rouge against the No. 5 LSU Tigers. Earlier in the season, UK stole just one game off LSU in a three-game series that also took place in Baton Rouge. The ‘Cats will seek revenge in a best-of-three series against the Tigers with the opening game set for Friday, June 9.
Both pitchers needed a couple of innings before finally settling into this high-pressure situation. Seventh-year veteran Darren Williams immediately gave up a single and then a double that allowed the Hoosiers to bring in an early run before Kentucky could even record an out. The Maysville native remained calm though, recording three straight outs with the final two batters striking out looking.
But just like that, UK fell in a quick 1-0 hole.
Luckily, Indiana’s Ty Bothwell didn’t start out any better on the mound. After Jackson Gray singled to right field, Bothwell walked the next two Wildcat batters to load the bases. Back-to-back sacrifice flies from Emilien Pitre and Hunter Gilliam, respectively, put two runs on the board for UK to make it a 2-1 lead in favor of the home team. Reuben Church would strike out swinging though as Bothwell escaped the jam with limited damage.
Williams came out still with some nerves in the top of the second as Indiana loaded the bases before Kentucky put an out on the board. Hunter Jessee would eventually score for the Hoosiers to knot this one up at 2-2 as Williams’ pitch count quickly began to grow. But he would settle down from there, getting out of the bottom of the second without giving up any more runs.
It would become a pitcher’s duel over the next several innings — with plenty of help from the defenses along the way.
Bothwell, in particular, started to heat up on the mound. He went 1-2-3 in the top of the second and fourth innings and was equally impressive in the third and fifth innings for Indiana as Kentucky’s hot scoring from Sunday suddenly evaporated. Bothwell even smashed his season-high pitch count (58), ultimately ending his night with 97 balls thrown. After putting up two runs early off just one hit, the Wildcats’ offense went hitless until the bottom of the sixth as Bothwell continued to cook.
Meanwhile, Williams would close out the fourth inning before getting pulled. He finished his night giving up six hits and two runs while striking out four Indiana batters. A solid performance from the long-time college veteran. Enter Mason Moore for the ‘Cats, who had his stuff rolling from the jump. The Morehead native pitched two near-perfect innings in the fifth and sixth to keep Indiana off the board.
The Kentucky offense finally woke back up as we went into the bottom of the sixth. Devin Burkes slapped a double to left field and eventually advanced to third via a groundout before Hunter Gilliam drove him in to give the ‘Cats a 3-2 lead.
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After walking Church to put two on base for UK, Bothwell’s night was done despite giving up just three hits. His replacement, Brayden Risedorph, wasn’t nearly as effective either.
A Ryan Waldschmidt double to right center field moved Church to third and brought in Gilliam, tacking on another Kentucky run with a pair of runners still on base. Risedorph wiggled his way out though, striking out a swinging Grant Smith, but the damage had been done as the ‘Cats took a 4-2 lead into the seventh inning.
Moore got himself into some trouble in the top of the inning, with Indiana slotting runners on second and third. But he wasn’t rattled, recording a strikeout and then getting the Hoosiers to ground out, ending the inning. Whenever Indiana had runners in position to score, the UK pitchers dug deep to fend them off.
Following a scoreless seventh, Moore retook the mound for UK in the top of the eighth and immediately went 1-2-3 as the KPP crowd exploded on the third out. The ‘Cats were now just a trio of outs away from advancing to the Super Regional. The Big Blue Nation was collectively on their feet the rest of the way.
Kentucky had the opportunity to add another run or two in the bottom of the eighth but failed to bring in the insurance. With “Grove Street Party” serenading the crowd, it would all come down to Moore — who also broke his season-high in pitches — in the ninth inning. Moore struck out the first batter and then got the second to fly out, putting UK one out away from advancing.
Moore would give up a single to center field, bringing the tying run to the plate, but that was all she wrote for the Hoosiers. Indiana would ground out to end the game, sending Kentucky through to the Super Regional for just the second time in program history.
Time to celebrate, BBN.
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