Kentucky falls to Arkansas 10-3 in series opener Friday night

Kentucky’s bullpen struggles reared their ugly head once again, as No. 2 Arkansas rode a six-run seventh inning to a 10-3 victory over No. 8 Kentucky in the series opener Friday night.

The game was tied 1-1 with one out in the top of the sixth after Trey Pooser exited the game. Just 1 2/3 innings later, the Hogs held a 10-1 lead.

Arkansas’ Hagen Smith showed why he is the nation’s top pitcher Friday night.

Smith dominated the Cats in his six innings of work, striking out 14 batters while allowing just three hits and one earned run. Smith has now struck out double-digit batters nine times this season.

His 1.36 ERA ranks second in the country, and his 125 strikeouts rank first in the SEC and second in the country. Big-time ballplayer.

Kentucky falls to 33-10 (16-6) as the Cats drop their fifth game in their last seven. Kentucky and Tennessee are now tied atop the SEC East at 16-6.

Players of the Game:

• RHP Trey Pooser: Pooser allowed just four hits and three earned runs in 5 1/3 innings pitched Friday night. Two of his three earned runs scored following his exit.
• LF Ryan Waldschmidt: Waldschmidt’s eighth SEC double gave Kentucky a 1-0 lead in the third inning. Arkansas however would go on to score 10 unanswered runs.

Pitching dominates early

Just as expected, Friday night’s game was a pitcher’s duel between Kentucky’s Trey Pooser and Arkansas’ Hagen Smith early.

Both teams combined for just two hits over the first 2 1/2 innings. Hagen Smith, the SEC’s strikeout king, ended the bottom of the first with a strikeout and struck out the side in the second, accruing four consecutive punch outs. He didn’t allow his first hit until Devin Burkes reached on an infield single in the third.

Trey Pooser was on it as well, continuing his string of quality starts. Pooser put runners on the corners in the second, but worked out of the jam. After striking out a season-high 11 batters in his last start, he struck out three over the first three innings.

Waldschmidt breaks scoreless tie in third

The first two Wildcat batters in the third were sat down quickly, bringing up Devin Burkes. Burkes roped a hard-hit ball to Arkansas third baseman Jared Sprague-Lott, who was unable to come up with it cleanly. Burkes, who has been dealing with the hamstring injury, beat out the throw to first for the first Kentucky hit of the game. That is certainly nice to see.

After reaching first however, Burkes got caught in a pickle. Burkes slid into second, but the tag from Arkansas shortstop Wehiwa Aloy completely missed Kentucky’s catcher.

This break for the Cats worked out nicely, as Ryan Waldschmidt belted an RBI-double off the center field wall to score Burkes from second. Kentucky jumped out to a 1-0 lead on Waldschmidt’s eighth double in SEC play this season, tied for second most in the conference.

WALDYYYYYYYYYY 🚀🚀🚀

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— Kentucky Baseball (@UKBaseball) May 3, 2024

Arkansas’ Hudson White and Peyton Stovall however both belted doubles in the fifth, driving in the first Arkansas run to knot the game at 1-1.

Razorbacks storm out to furious lead

The Cats and Hogs were tied into the top of the sixth, until Trey Pooser’s day came to an end. Pooser’s excellent outing came to a conclusion after walking back-to-back batters, totaling his 100th pitch of the night. He was replaced by right-hander Cam O’Brien, who ran into some immediate trouble.

On just the third pitch O’Brien threw, Arkansas’ Kendall Diggs belted a two-run double to the right center field gap, propelling the Hogs to a 3-1 lead. Diggs ended up reaching third on the throw home.

Lefty Jackson Nove replaced O’Brien and gave up a bloop RBI-double to Ross Lovich, which brought in the fourth Razorback run of the game.

Diggs’ big night continued in the seventh, as a two-run single drove in his third and fourth RBI of the game. In giving the Hogs a 6-1 lead, Diggs set a season-high in RBI (four).

Arkansas scored four more runs in the inning on a Hudson White single, two bases-loaded walks, and a wild pitch. Kentucky’s bullpen once again really struggled against high quality competition.

Arkansas takes series opener

The game was tied 1-1 as Trey Pooser exited, and Arkansas claimed a 10-1 lead just one inning later. It’s a real concern that the bullpen could drag the Cats down in their pursuit of a top-eight seed and a SEC East crown.

The Wildcat pitching staff has allowed 61 earned runs over its last 60 innings pitched, good for a team ERA of 9.15.

Arkansas right-hander Will McEntire took over in the seventh following the exit of Hagen Smith. McEntire and right-hander Dylan Carter held the Cats to just two hits and two runs over the final three innings, cementing the series opening victory for the Hogs.

Kentucky’s two runs came on a wild pitch and a Devin Burkes RBI-single.

What’s next for No. 8 Kentucky?

The Cats will look to bounce back on Derby Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. EST and the game will once again be broadcast on SEC Network+.