Kentucky Baseball Takes Doubleheader Over Indiana State
As a result of a dreadfully windy day in Lexington on Friday, the Kentucky/Indiana State series opener was postponed and flexed into a beautiful Saturday doubleheader. Kentucky took both games of the day, winning game one 4-2 and game two 5-4.
The story of Kentucky’s doubleheader win was once again their stellar pitching. RHP Logan Martin made his third start of the season for the ‘Cats and pitched his best game of the year. Martin pitched four innings, allowing just four hits and two earned runs.
Pitching Battle in Game One
Game one featured strong pitching from both teams, an uncommon occurrence from this Indiana State club. Coming into this weekend with a team 7.54 ERA, the Sycamores allowed just four runs in their game one loss. Indiana State’s ace RHP Brayden Lybarger started on the mound for Indiana State and allowed all four runs in two innings on the mound. The Wildcat offense dried up after RHP Aaron Moss and RHP Cameron Holycross took over in the third inning. Moss and Holycross finished this game out for the Sycamores, allowing just three hits and no earned runs over the final six innings.
All four Wildcat runs were scored in the second inning. Sophomore LF Ryan Waldschmidt got things started for the ‘Cats on a single to left field that scored Emilien Pitre from third. With Reuben Church up to bat, Lybarger threw a wild pitch in the dirt that scored 1B Hunter Gilliam from third. SS Grant Smith stepped up and knocked another single into left field for the ‘Cats, scoring both Waldschmidt and Church. The ‘Cats took a 4-0 lead after just two innings.
Indiana State scratched two runs across in the third and fourth inning but that was all. Following Martin’s departure in the top of the fifth inning, lockdown reliever Darren Williams took over the helm. Williams pitched the final five innings, allowing just one hit and no runs. He also struck out five, pushing his season total to 16.
More of the Same in Game Two
LHP Tyler Bosma started game two for the Wildcats, looking for a bounce-back performance after allowing seven hits and six earned runs against Wright State in his last start. The grad student did just that. Bosma pitched five innings, allowing just four hits and one earned run. He struck out seven batters along the way, bringing his season total to 13.
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This game was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth inning when Hunter Gilliam singled to left center, scoring Emilien Pitre from third following his triple. Indiana State responded in the top of the fifth inning, tying this game up with a RBI single. With the game tied at one in the bottom of the fifth, the Bat ‘Cats enjoyed their second four-run inning of the day.
Following a Jackson Gray triple (his second of the day), James McCoy beat out a bunt to the pitcher to score Gray from third. Gilliam then smacked a single to right field this time, knocking in two more runs, bringing his RBI total to three in the game. Another run scored on a Jase Felker sacrifice bunt, capping off the breakthrough inning.
This game got interesting in the top of the eighth when 3B Mark Sears hit a three-run home run, making this a one-run game. Needing a hold, RHP Mason Moore entered the game to provide it. Moore sat down six of the next eight batters to preserve the doubleheader victory for the ‘Cats.
The Bat ‘Cats will be back in action on Sunday at 1:00 pm EST in the final game of the three-game series against Indiana State.
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