Kentucky Baseball Blanks Eastern Kentucky 10-0
Kentucky Baseball blanked in-state neighbors Eastern Kentucky 10-0 on Tuesday to improve to 11-1 on the season.
With a win over Eastern in Richmond on Wednesday, the Bat Cats would tie their best start to a season under Nick Mingione (12-1).
Grad transfer first baseman Nick Lopez shined once again on Tuesday, blasting a three-run home run for his first as a Wildcat. Redshirt freshman Austin Fawley went yard as well, becoming the first Kentucky player with two so far this season.
Kentucky’s lineup on Tuesday was notable, as five freshmen started in the field (Ethan Hindle, Kyuss Gargett, Lukas Schramm, Austin Fawley, and Griffin Cameron).
“I’ve been in this league for 18 years and have never seen that,” Nick Mingione said postgame.
Five-Run Inning Propels Kentucky to Lead
The Cats and Colonels were scoreless through three and a half innings before Kentucky jumped ahead for the ninth time in its first 12 games.
With Emilien Pitre and Patrick Herrera on first and second, the red-hot Nick Lopez stepped into the batter’s box. The USC transfer leads Kentucky in batting average (.387) and SLG% (.613) through its first 11 games.
On a 2-2 count, Lopez ripped a three-run home run over the left field wall to drive in Kentucky’s first three runs of the game. This was Lopez’s first home run in a Kentucky uniform. In two seasons at USC, Lopez hit 13 total long balls (six in 2022, seven in 2023).
The scoring didn’t stop there however, as freshman Kyus Gargett (who started at shortstop for the injured Grant Smith) doubled to right field for his second hit as a Wildcat. His first two career hits have been extra base hits.
Redshirt freshman Lukas Schramm followed Gargett, roping a triple down the right field line to score the speedy freshman from second. The young guns were given a chance to shine on Tuesday and they delivered. Schramm scored on a wild pitch, giving the Cats a 5-0 lead through three.
Drew Lafferty Shines Again
Redshirt freshman RHP Drew Lafferty made his third start of the season and looked good once again, holding the Colonels to just two hits over 5.0 innings. Lafferty finished with five strikeouts.
Through his first three career starts, Lafferty boasts a 0.00 ERA (10.0 IP) with seven strikeouts.
“[Confidence] is through the roof,” Lafferty said postgame. “Not too confident, but it’s through the roof. Confidence is a key part of pitching and baseball in general. Without confidence, you’re not going to be that great.”
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Lafferty was followed by RHP Hayden Smith and RHP Zach Hise, who held the Colonels scoreless. Smith and Hise’s scoreless innings extended the Wildcat bullpen’s 21 1/3 inning scoreless streak.
Wildcats Pull Away
Following Kentucky’s five-run third inning, bases were immediately loaded in the bottom of the fourth.
Patrick Herrera was walked, bringing in a free Wildcat run.
With the bases still loaded, freshman Ethan Hindle was thrust into yet another big spot. Entering Tuesday’s game, Hindle was 0-7 on the season.
The freshman finally delivered, roping a two-run double to right center field to extend the Kentucky lead to eight. Patrick Herrera was thrown out at home attempting to score.
Just an inning later, an unexpected name became the first Wildcat to hit two home runs this season.
Redshirt freshman Austin Fawley belted a solo home run to left center, extending the Kentucky lead to nine. Fawley is 2-9 at the plate this season, but both of his hits have been home runs.
With a runner on third in the bottom of the seventh, Emilien Pitre hit a hot shot to shortstop . The ball was bobbled, allowing Reuben Church to score from third. This game was over in under two hours via the run-rule.
Both teams will travel back to Richmond on Wednesday to complete the midweek home-and-home series. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. EST.
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