Kentucky falls to Texas A&M 9-7 in blown series opener Friday night
Kentucky Baseball dropped its third consecutive SEC series opener Friday night with a 9-7 loss to Texas A&M. The ‘Cats jumped out to a 7-1 lead, but were outscored 8-0 over the final 5 1/2 innings.
With yet another loss, Kentucky has lost seven of its last nine games and is now 2-5 in SEC play. Its 2-5 start in conference play is its worst since the 2022 season (also 2-5), where the ‘Cats missed the NCAA Tournament.
Senior right-hander Scott Rouse made his first start of the season for Kentucky Friday night, shifting from a reliever role to a Friday night role to replace Ethan Walker in the starting rotation. Rouse didn’t have the best first impression, as he gave up five hits and six earned runs with two strikeouts in four innings of work. Two of the four relievers that followed Rouse also gave up one run each (Evan Byers and Jackson Nove).
Texas A&M’s nine runs scored were its most in seven conference games this season.
Although Kentucky totaled 11 hits, it was once again not enough to overcome a bad pitching performance. Over this skid of seven losses in nine games, the ‘Cats have totaled at least nine hits in four of those seven losses.
‘Cats get off to blazing hot start
Kentucky got off to a fast start offensively Friday night, as it poured in all seven of its runs over the first four innings. This got underway with a three-run opening frame, led off by Luke Lawrence.
Lawrence, who had been slowly sliding down the lineup in recent games, reclaimed the leadoff spot in the series opener and made the best of it. On an 0-2 pitch, the Illinois State transfer ripped a double down the right field line to put an immediate runner in scoring position for the ‘Cats.
Cole Hage was hit by a pitch and Hudson Brown reached on an error to follow him, loading the bases for freshman shortstop Tyler Bell. Bell came through with the bases juiced, as he doubled down the left field line, bringing home both Lawrence and Hage.
Bell eventually reached third on a fielder’s choice hit into by Griffin Cameron and was able to score on a throwing error by Texas A&M shortstop Kaeden Kent, son of 5x MLB All-Star Jeff Kent. Before you knew it, Kentucky had jumped out to a quick 3-0 advantage.
Cole Hage belts seventh Big Blue Bomb of season
Following a scoreless opening inning by Rouse, the Wildcat offense returned to the plate in the second inning.
Ethan Hindle led off the frame with a double down the left field line, Kentucky’s third two-bagger in just nine at-bats. Cole Hage, Kentucky’s batting average and home run leader, then stepped to the plate with a runner in scoring position.
The Columbia transfer made A&M starter Ryan Prager pay, as he belted a two-run home run to left field to make it a 5-0 lead for the ‘Cats. Prager entered the day with a 2.17 ERA, which ranked fourth among SEC pitchers. That ERA ballooned to 3.35 after allowed a season-high eight hits and six earned runs to Kentucky in three innings.
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Hage increased his home run count to seven, which leads all Kentucky players.
The ‘Cats tacked on their final runs of the game in the third and fourth innings, courtesy of Shaun Montoya and Cole Hage. Patrick Herrera led off the third with a single, and was eventually able to score on an RBI-double hit by Montoya. Luke Lawrence then tripled to open the fourth inning and was brought home on a Cole Hage RBI sac-fly.
Kentucky’s offense had totaled six extra base hits through four frames, but that came to a sharp end when A&M sophomore right-hander Weston Moss entered in relief in the fourth inning.
A&M explodes for five-run inning to take lead
Kentucky’s six-run lead would however quickly be dashed by the end of the fifth inning.
A&M’s Terrence Kiel II opened the bottom of the fourth inning with a leadoff double, accruing some momentum for the slumping Aggie offense. First baseman Gavin Kash followed Kiel with a drawn walk, putting two on for catcher Bear Harrison. Harrison singled to left field, driving home both Kiel II and Kash to make it a 7-3 game.
Scott Rouse‘s day would come to an end in the fifth, as he gave up two singles and a walk which brought home another run. Right-hander Nile Adcock entered in relief and immediately gave up two runs, as Kiel II came through once again for the Aggies with a two-run double. Gavin Kash brought home a run with an RBI sac-fly to tie the game and Kiel II scored on a throwing error by Devin Burkes to take the lead.
The Aggies tacked on more insurance run in the sixth on a Jace LaViolette RBI-double, cementing its 9-7 win.
What’s next for Kentucky?
Texas A&M sophomore right-hander Weston Moss held Kentucky to just three hits and no runs over the final six innings, earning the win for the Aggies. All three Wildcat hits were singles.
With the loss, that ever valuable 15-win SEC mark is becoming more and more challenging. In order to clinch that number (which likely earns you an NCAA Tournament at-large bid), the ‘Cats will have to finish *at least* 13-10 over their final 23 conference games.
Kentucky and A&M will run it back in the second game of the series on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. EST.
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