Kentucky Falls to LSU 14-0 in Super Regional Opener

It was an exciting week of build up around the Kentucky Baseball program, as Saturday kickstarted just the ‘Cats second ever appearance in the Super Regionals. Their Super Regional opener on Saturday however didn’t go down the way they hoped it would.

After a day full of waiting around due to multiple weather delays, Nick Mingione’s squad came out flat and got walloped 14-0 by LSU. They are now just one loss away from being eliminated from the NCAA Tournament.

The game was originally slated to begin at 3:00 PM EST but was pushed back to 8:06 due to “inclement weather in the area”. Both teams made their way back to the stadium at 7:00 but play was moved back once again, this time to 9:06. Finally, just minutes before first pitch, both teams cleared the field and it was announced that the game would finally get underway at 10:06 PM EST.

At 10:06, we had baseball, even though yhe weather was near-perfect the entire day. These two teams probably could have played two nine inning games in that time span. Much of Big Blue Nation did not agree with the decision to move the game back, but LSU head coach Jay Johnson defended the decision to push the game back following the first delay.

“I get that there’s pop ups and this and that but there’s too much on the line. You have to be really diligent and do what’s best for the players.” Johnson continued, saying “…not just for their safety, that’s first and foremost, but for the integrity of the game. And that’s super important and I’m pretty sure Coach Mingione will tell you the same thing.”

Jokes aside…

For those wondering what went into the decision to delay the LSU-UK game, here is what Jay Johnson said Friday which basically gives you your answer. pic.twitter.com/gZRoQddwdr

— Matt Moscona (@MattMoscona) June 10, 2023

Many Kentucky fans blamed the decisions to keep moving the game back on LSU superstar Paul Skenes, who the LSU coaching staff were hesitant to start if a delay seemed possible. If the game started at its original time (3:00 PM EST) and a delay was called, Skenes would not have been eligible to return due to NCAA rules and regulations. That is what knocked Kentucky starter Zack Lee out after two innings pitched against Tennessee back on May 14th. LSU’s perseverance paid off however, as Skenes was dominant.

LSU Power Surge

It seemed like the lightning that LSU officials “claimed was in the area all day” seemingly made its way into the LSU bats at some point before first pitch.

Kentucky starter Zack Lee entered Saturday having given up just nine home runs on the season. By the time his outing ended after just four innings, Lee had given up five on the night.

The speedy Tre’ Morgan kicked things off with a solo shot in the bottom of the first inning, giving LSU a quick 1-0 lead. Lee bounced back with a nice 1-2-3 inning in the second before allowing back-to-back dingers in the third. Superstar Dylan Crews kicked off the inning with an infield single, putting a runner on first for Tommy “Smokes” White. White absolutely torched Lee’s pitch out of Alex Box Stadium, putting the Tigers up 3-0. Morgan then stepped to bat for his second at-bat of the night, where he proceeded to blast his second home run. The Tigers were all over Lee in this one.

Before his outing was over, Lee gave up two more home runs. After Lee struck out Cade Beloso to start the bottom of the fourth, Gavin Dugas blasted his 15th home run of the season to extend the lead to five. Lee made it through the fourth and eventually to the fifth, which would be his last frame.

Josh Pearson, who came on late in the season for LSU, blasted the Tigers’ fifth home run of the night, a solo shot to extend the lead to six. Crews then reached on a Jase Felker fielding error and White smacked a single into left field, bringing the red-hot Morgan back up to bat. Morgan followed White with a RBI single to left field, increasing the Tiger lead to seven. Mercifully, Zack Lee’s day was over.

Domination From Paul Skenes

Paul Skenes was voted the 2023 SEC Pitcher of the Year for a reason. The projected #2 pick in the 2023 MLB Draft continued his unreal season with another dominant performance on Saturday night. Skenes threw 101 pitches over 7.2 frames on the mound, allowing no runs while striking out nine batters. Kentucky pitcher Austin Strickland had high praise for Skenes earlier this week.

“Not only does he throw hard but he’s got a fastball that runs a lot,” Strickland said. “His ability to control the strike zone like that is really incredible. So just watching him, I just want to emulate that as much as I can. Just put my pitches in and out of the zone when I need to and let the chips fall where they may.”

Skenes’ ability to control the strike zone is what makes him so dominant. He paints the corners better than any pitcher college baseball has seen in recent history. Imagine Greg Maddux, except Greg Maddux throwing 102 MPH. Filthy.

Paul Skenes' Ridiculous Stuff.

If you ever wondered what an MLB ace would look like pitching against college kids…well…this is pretty much it. pic.twitter.com/W03QoXLfzo

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 11, 2023

Tigers Pour it On En Route to Victory

Following Zack Lee’s departure in the fifth inning, Christian Howe was thrown to the wolves. Howe, who entered Saturday’s game having pitched just seven innings on the season, featured no better success against the stacked LSU lineup.

Howe plunked the first batter he saw in Hayden Travinski, loading the bases with Brayden Jobert up to bat. He then plunked Jobert, allowing Tommy White to trot home for the score. Howe then threw a pitch in the dirt on his next pitch, allowing Tre’ Morgan to swipe home. Jordan Thompson continued the big inning for the Tigers by blasting a two-run single to left field, scoring both Travinski and Jobert. Thanks to a six-run fifth inning, LSU suddenly led Kentucky 11-0.

Following another Tommy White home run, a Jordan Thompson RBI-single and a Dylan Crews sac-fly, LSU had found themselves with a dominant 14-0 lead. 6’7 Blake Money took over for Skenes in the eighth and finished things off for the Tigers.

Game two of the Baton Rouge Regional is scheduled for Sunday at 6:06 (by god) PM EST on ESPN2.

Just informed Sunday's game will be at 6:06 p.m. ET/5:06 p.m. CT on ESPN2.

— Kentucky Baseball (@UKBaseball) June 11, 2023