Kentucky comes back to finish off Belmont 9-5 for series sweep

Kentucky used a six-run seventh inning on Sunday to finish off Belmont 9-5, cementing the series sweep. It is Kentucky’s first sweep of the season.

The ‘Cats trailed 4-3 until the seventh inning, when four different players drove in RBIs to propel Kentucky to the 9-4 lead. Six different Wildcats knocked in at least one RBI, while Cole Hage, Dylan Koontz and Carson Hansen led the way with two apiece.

Hansen, who belted a grand slam in his Kentucky debut on Saturday, homered and singled twice on Sunday. He has certainly made the case to be a mainstay in Kentucky’s lineup this season.

The Kentucky pitching staff entered the series finale with a team 0.84 ERA and 12.4 K/9, but it struggled early for the first time this season on Sunday. Left-hander Ethan Walker made his first start for the Wildcats and was chased in just 2 2/3 innings after allowing six hits and four earned runs. The Longwood transfer totaled just one strike out, which occurred on the first at-bat of the game.

Following Walker’s departure however, the staff almost completely shut down the Bruins lineup. RHP Nile Adcock, LHP Evan Byers, RHP Scott Rouse allowed just four hits and held Belmont to just one run over the final 6 1/3 innings to finish off the sweep.

Players of the Game:

• DH Carson Hansen: In his second game at Kentucky, Hansen belted a solo home run and singled twice to bring in two RBI.
• SS Tyler Bell: The freshman shortstop shined again on Sunday, going 2-5 at the plate with a double and an RBI.
• RHP Scott Rouse: The Radford transfer was extremely sharp in his second appearance of the season on Sunday, holding the Bruins to just two hits and no earned runs in four innings of relief.

Belmont snags first lead of weekend in first inning

Kentucky failed to score a run in the first inning for the fourth time in five games this season, bringing the Belmont offense to the plate for the first time on Sunday.

The Wildcat pitching staff had absolutely dominated the Bruins lineup over the first two games of the weekend, as Nic McCay, Jackson Nove, Simon Gregersen, Ben Cleaver and Cole Hentschel had combined to allow just five hits and one run in 16 innings pitched.

Things did not go that way early though for Kentucky left-hander Ethan Walker, who made his first start of the season. He was scheduled to make his Wildcat debut last Sunday, but the game against Lipscomb was canceled. In 84 2/3 career innings pitched at Longwood, Walker boasted a 4.25 ERA with a 5-4 record.

After recording a quick two outs in the first, Walker had seemingly punched out Belmont right fielder Ty Allen to get out of the inning. It was however called a ball, keeping the at-bat alive. Allen took advantage of this second chance, as he belted a solo home run over the left field fence to give Belmont its first lead of the series.

Carson Hansen belts second Big Blue Bomb of the season

After not seeing any game action in Kentucky’s first three games of the season, Milwaukee transfer Carson Hansen has made an impact in the final two games of the Belmont series.

After coming through with a pinch-hit grand slam in Saturday’s 12-0 drumming of the Bruins, Hansen got the start at designated hitter on Sunday. It didn’t take long for him to notch his second home run of the season, as he jumped all over the first pitch of the third inning for a solo home run.

The Pewaukee, WI native spent two seasons at Milwaukee, where he was named to the Horizon League All-Freshman Team in 2023 and the Horizon All-League First Team in 2024. In 78 career games, Hansen boasted a career .312 batting average with 26 doubles, 11 home runs, and 74 RBI. He originally transferred to Arkansas in the offseason, but rerouted to Kentucky just days later.

What a pickup he’s been for Nick Mingione’s team so far.

Bruins tack on three more runs in the third

Kentucky tied the game at one in the top of the third, but Belmont extended its lead back out to three runs in the bottom of the third.

Ethan Walker gave up back-to-back singles to leadoff batter Pete Daniel and Charlie Davis to open the inning, putting a quick two on with no outs for Belmont. Following an intentional walk of Ty Allen (who homered in the first), the bases were juiced for first baseman Landon Godsey.

Godsey made the ‘Cats pay for the intentional walk, as he laced a hard hit ball into left field that just got under the glove of left fielder Cole Hage. Godsey reached second for a two-run double, giving Belmont a 3-1 lead. The Bruins tacked on one more run thanks to an RBI-bunt courtesy of Michael Lareau, extending the lead to four.

It was a less than stellar debut for Walker, who allowed six hits and four earned runs in just 2 2/3 innings. He was relieved by right-hander Nile Adcock (transfer from Kaskaskia CC), who got the Wildcats out of the inning.

The Sunday starter role will continue to be tinkered with, as the role likely would have been filled by right-handed pitcher Ryan Verdugo had he not been selected in the 2024 MLB Draft. Verdugo, who originally transferred to Kentucky this offseason before deciding to turn pro, would have brought 198 innings of experience with a 4.32 ERA. In 89 1/3 innings pitched in 2024, Verdugo boasted a stellar 2.72 ERA.

Pelletier and Hansen bring the ‘Cats back within one

Trailing by three runs now, the ‘Cats put up two runs in the fourth inning to pull back within one run.

Patrick Herrera was hit by a pitch and Dylan Koontz was walked to put two runners on with just one out for Wildcat catcher Raphael Pelletier. Pelletier, who has made a great case to be Kentucky’s everyday starter at the position this season, delivered again with an RBI-double that scored Herrera from second.

The runs weren’t done being scored in the inning however, as red-hot Carson Hansen belted an RBI-single off the right field fence to score Koontz from third base. In just three at-bats, the Milwaukee transfer nabbed his team-leading sixth RBI. Hansen came just shy of hitting his third home run in as many at-bats. Even after those two runs though, Kentucky still trailed 4-3.

Freshman phenom shortstop Tyler Bell, who belted his first career home run on Saturday, ripped a one-out double in the sixth inning as the ‘Cats were still looking for their fourth run of the game. Dylan Koontz and Raphael Pelletier however made back-to-back outs as Kentucky suffered another missed opportunity.

Massive seventh inning propels Kentucky to series sweep

The Kentucky offense suffered missed opportunity after missed opportunity through the first six innings, but a breakthrough in the seventh propelled the Cats to the series sweep.

The red-hot Carson Hansen kick-started the inning with a single, becoming just the first of 11 batters that would reach the box in the inning. Will Marcy followed Hansen by reaching first on a fielding error and Shaun Montoya was intentionally walked, juicing the bases for Cole Hage.

Hage, who along with Hansen, have been two of Kentucky’s most impressive batters this season. The Columbia transfer continued his early season success, as he lifted a two-run single to center field to give Kentucky a 5-4 lead, its first of the game. A Patrick Herrera single reloaded the bases for Tyler Bell, who continued to shine early in his career.

Bell singled to left field to score Montoya and Dylan Koontz followed with a two-run single to score Hage and Herrera, suddenly giving the ‘Cats an 8-4 lead. Pinch-hitter Hudson Brown capped off the six-run inning with an RBI-double down the left field line, notching his first career hit and RBI in the process. Before you could blink, Kentucky went from trailing by one to leading by five.

Right-hander Scott Rouse pitched the final four innings in relief for Kentucky and nearly completely shut down any hopes of a Bruins comeback. He gave up just four hits and kept Belmont to just one run, cementing the series sweep.

What’s next for Kentucky?

Kentucky, who now sits at 4-1, will head home to Lexington for its home opener against Evansville on Tuesday, Feb. 25. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. EST at Kentucky Proud Park.